Maradona Wins $490,000 Suit Against Two Shanghai Firms For Trademark Infringement

Former Argentina striker and Manager Diego Maradona won a 3M yuan ($490,000) lawsuit in Beijing Monday "against two Shanghai firms which used his name and image without permission," according to the SHANGHAI DAILY. The Beijing No. 1 Intermediate People's Court ruled that Shanghai The9 Information Technology Co. Ltd. and The9 Computer Technology Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. pay 3M yuan "for the infringement" and 1 yuan ($0.16) "for mental distress." The 52-year-old "filed the lawsuit last year after he discovered that his name and image were being used at an online gaming website." Beijing Sina Internet Information Service Co. Ltd. -- operator of www.sina.com -- "was also sued for releasing reports saying the player had endorsed the game." But the court said that "Sina was not liable for any infringement because it used images according to its contract with the Shanghai firms" (SHANGHAI DAILY, 6/18).