The "Olympic" Case

The "Olympic" case refers to the landmark legal decision in 1993 by the European Court of Justice concerning the use of trademarks. The case involved the Olympic rings logo, which was registered as a trademark by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The court ruled that the registration didn't grant exclusive rights to prevent others from using the symbol in areas unrelated to the Olympics, especially if used for descriptive or non-commercial purposes. Essentially, it clarified that trademark rights are limited and cannot be used to unjustly restrict free speech or legitimate uses of well-known symbols outside of commercial contexts.