India's first women Paris Olympics winner, Manu Bhaker's managing team took strict legal actions against all those brands who are endorsing her photos in certain places without sponsoring her.
Manu Bhaker is currently busy making her homeland, India, proud with her win at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The 22-year-old shooter became the first Indian to win two medals in a single edition of the Olympic Games. Initially, she won a bronze medal in the Women's individual 10m air pistol event and then bagged a bronze medal at the 10m air pistol mixed team event with Sarabjot Singh. She is also set to compete in the 25m Pistol Women's event on August 2, 2024.
Undoubtedly, the shooter is currently hitting the headlines for all good reasons. Similarly, multiple brands are using her images in unauthorised Olympic congratulatory ads. Brands such as KapeeFit, FIITJEE, Bajaj Foods, BSC Interiors, Kineto, Oakwood International School, LIC, and many others, took to their official social media handles to post congratulatory posts on Manu's grand win at the Paris Olympics. However, none of these brands have previously sponsored Manu.
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Thus, the team managing Manu Bhaker, IOS Sports & Entertainment, issued legal notice against those brands as per a report by ET. The managing team is taking legal notices for infringing the athlete’s personality rights. Reportedly, India's first women Paris Olympics winner currently endorses only a sports gear and fitness fashion company, Performax Activewear.
Earlier, in 2021, PV Sindhu and her agency, Baseline Ventures, had also taken such legal action against 20 brands for using her image and name for a similar congratulatory moment marketing ads without taking her consent or proper permissions. The agency sought damages worth Rs. 5 crore from those brands.
Not only that, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) also has a significant role in regulating the brands dealing with athletes in various collaborative projects. During the Tokyo Olympics 2020, ASCI issued a code highlighting that if a brand leverages athletes’ victories without permission, then it will be a violation of its code. According to the ASCI code:
“Advertisements shall not, without permission from the person, firm or institution under reference, contain any reference to such person, which confers and unjustified advantage on the product advertised or tends to bring the person, firm or institute into ridicule or disrepute. If and when required to do so by ASCI, the advertiser and the advertising agency shall produce explicit permission from the person, firm or institution to which reference is made in the advertisement.”
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Born to Ram Krishan Bhakar and Sumedha Bhakar, Manu's journey to the global platform is no less than an inspiration. Hailing from Jhajjar, Haryana, she ventured into the world of shooting at the age of 14. As per the Olympics website, she started practising in 2016 after the Rio Olympics. Despite making it to the silver lining of the Asian Junior Championships to the near-miss at the Asian Games, Manu never gave up. And it is her passion and love for the sport that she is making India proud at the Olympics 2024.
What do you think about Manu's managing team taking legal action against the brands for using her images unauthorisedly? Let us know!
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