BEAMON RAGES AT LONDON 2012 "ENDORSEMENT"

The IPKat found this on the front page of his Telegraph this morning: Lord Coe, leader
of the bid to secure London as host to the 2012 Olympic Games, has become
involved with long-jump legend Bob Beamon over image rights. Beamon, whose leap
of 29ft 2½in at the 1968 Mexico Olympics created a world record that stood for
four decades, is furious his photograph has been used in London 2012 brochures
without his permission. Beamon, who is on the board of the rival New York 2012
bid, says in a letter to Coe:

"I was surprised To see that you used my image to promote London 2012 without any consent or consultation. This is not just a discourtesy but is, I believe, a fundamental breach of an olympian's right to determine how his or her name and image is used for promotional purposes.

Given the IOC's recent correspondence prohibiting the bids from including the images of IOC members from countries other than their own bid promotion I would think that you would treat fellow Olympians with some respect. I urgently request that you, as a fellow Olympian, promptly issue a public apology and advise IOC members that we in fact support New York's bid, not London. The brochure must be withdrawn".

London 2012 insist that pictures of athletes in their brochure were never meant to imply that they were backing the London bid. A spokesman said:

"The use of the photograph was in no way meant to imply support for the London bid but rather to celebrate great Olympic moments which are recognised across the globe".

In his letter Coe will explain that Moscow, in their promotional brochure, used images of him winning the 1500 metres gold in the Soviet capital at the 1980 Olympics. Coe did not protest as he felt this was a general celebration of the Olympics.

Bob Beamon -- who has not endorsed the IPKat weblog

The IPKat is excited at the thought of a legal scrap. Since Irvine v Talksport the use of a copyright-licensed celebrity photo constitutes passing-off under English law, but Bob Beamon will have the devil's own job persuading an English Court that the unauthorised use per se suggests that he has endorsed the London 2012 bid. Merpel deprecates the American use of the term "Olympian" for over-trained, over-hyped athletes instead of for majestic godly creatures: she thinks the Greeks should sue for cultural abuse of a geographical indication of divinity.

The real Olympians here and here
Some champion jumpers here, here and here