Image Rights of Sportspersons: Increasing the Ambit of Privacy
Keywords:
Image Rights, Sports, Players, Contractual Rights, Protection of Rights
Abstract
Image rights represent the ability of an individual to control the use or portrayal of their identity in public, something which should ideally be within the sole control of that individual. However, the presence of miniscule legislative backing along with the views of large corporations have shown otherwise. Image rights, especially of players, present an attractive commercial opportunity, often forming a huge source of earnings for clubs, national teams and even video game franchises. However, the protection and treatment of image rights of athletes has started a controversy where players are now recognizing the value of these rights and the lack of control they possess over their use. Large corporations such as EA Sports have shown an utter disregard for the right of a player to control or even cash in on the use of their image, bringing forth the question whether the current protection of image rights is sufficient. This study has uncovered the sheer lack of protection available to these rights in most countries, with some jurisdictions failing to recognize the right of a player to control their identity. This study has analyzed and brought forth the flaws in the system, whilst highlighting the immense economic potential for both athletes and clubs.
References
Justice K.S. Puttaswamy and Ors. v. Union of India and Ors., AIR 2017 SC 4161.
Information Technology (Reasonable security practices and procedures and sensitive personal data or information) Rules, 2011, Gazette of India, pt. III sec. 3(i) (Apr. 11, 2011), Rule 3.
Proactive Sports Management Ltd. v. Wayne Rooney and Ors., [2010] EWHC 1807 (QB).
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FIFPro, FIFPro Supports Universal Player Rights, FIFPRO (Jan. 28, 2020), https://www.fifpro.org/en/about-us/fifpro-supports-universal-player-rights..
World Players Association, The Universal Declaration of Player Rights, Apr. 7, 2017, Art. 12, https://www.fifpro.org/media/md2efzpd/universal-declaration-of-player-rights-english-version.pdf.
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Douglas and Ors. v. Hello Limited, [2001] 2 WLR 992.
Fenty & Ors. v. Arcadia Group Brands Ltd & Anr., [2015] EWCA Civ 3.
Luca Ferrari, Stella Riberti, ‘Comparing How Image Rights Laws Apply To Sport In The US, UK And Europe’, LAW IN SPORT (December 22, 2015), https://www.lawinsport.com/topics/item/comparing-how-image-rights-laws-apply-to-sport-in-the-us-uk-and-europe.
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Cardtoons, L.C. v. Major League Baseball Players Ass’ n, 838 F. Supp 1501 (N.D. Okla. 1993).
Kahn v. Electronic Arts GmbH Unreported, 13 January 2004, OLG Hamburg.
ICC Development (International) v. Arvee Enterprises, 2003 VIIAD Delhi 405, 2003 (26) PTC 245 Del, 2004 (1) RAJ 10.
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Lakshmi Kruttika Vijay, Rohan Sharma, ‘Celebrities: Just what are their personality rights?’, ANAND AND ANAND (December 27, 2016), https://law.asia/celebrities-just-what-are-their-personality-rights/.
Titan Industries v. M/S Ramkumar Jewellers, 2012 (50) PTC 486 (Del).
Justice K.S. Puttaswamy and Ors. v. Union of India and Ors., AIR 2017 SC 4161.
The Indian Singers Rights Association v. Chapter 25 Bar And Restaurant, CS (OS) 2068/2015.
Ian Blackshaw, ‘Understanding Sports Image Rights’, WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION (2020), https://www.wipo.int/ip-outreach/en/ipday/2019/understanding_sports_image_rights.html.
Id.
Carolina Pina, ‘The Role of IP for Athletes and Image Rights’, GARRIGUES (2020), https://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/doc_details.jsp?doc_id=291665.
Lawrence Hurley, ‘Supreme Court Lets NFL Players’ Image Rights Claims Proceed’, INSURANCE JOURNAL (March 21, 2016), https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2016/03/21/402495.htm.
Gabriel Eguinoa, ‘EA Sports vs Image Rights in Brazil: Why can’t I play with Brazil on FIFA 2020’, LEX SPORTIVA (JULY 22, 2020), https://lexsportiva.blog/2020/07/22/easportsvimagerightsinbrazil/.
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supra note 66.
David Lange, Career earnings of Golf player Tiger Woods from 1996 to 2016, STATISTA (Nov. 25, 2020), https://www.statista.com/statistics/411993/earnings-of-tiger-woods/.
‘#3 Cristiano Ronaldo’, FORBES (Apr. 6, 2021), https://www.forbes.com/profile/cristiano-ronaldo/?sh=7a1ac325565d
Information Technology (Reasonable security practices and procedures and sensitive personal data or information) Rules, 2011, Gazette of India, pt. III sec. 3(i) (Apr. 11, 2011), Rule 3.
Proactive Sports Management Ltd. v. Wayne Rooney and Ors., [2010] EWHC 1807 (QB).
Id. at 187.
Ali Humayun, Zlatan Ibrahimovic hits back at EA Sports over image rights row, THE ATHLETIC (Dec. 3, 2020, 11:36 PM), https://theathletic.com/news/fifa-21-zlatan-ibrahimovic-ea-sports/TGrsXyY75FMv.
Gaurav Bhatt, Explained: Why Ibrahimovic and Bale are questioning the use of their images in FIFA 21, THE INDIAN EXPRESS (Nov. 26, 2020, 9:49 AM), https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/fifa-21-video-game-series-zlatan-ibrahimovic-gareth-bale-image-rights-7068569/.
Tom Hopkinson, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Gareth Bale 'right to pursue FIFA 21 over image rights breach, MIRROR (Nov. 28, 2020, 7:38 PM), https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/zlatan-ibrahimovic-gareth-bale-right-23083406.
Hopkinson, supra note 7.
Id.
James Dutton, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Gareth Bale are going into battle with EA Sports for using their images in FIFA video games. The case could involve thousands of players and a multi-million pound court case, MAIL ONLINE (Nov. 25, 2020, 2:31 PM), https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8985623/What-exactly-going-war-FIFAs-image-rights.html.
FIFPro, FIFPro Supports Universal Player Rights, FIFPRO (Jan. 28, 2020), https://www.fifpro.org/en/about-us/fifpro-supports-universal-player-rights..
World Players Association, The Universal Declaration of Player Rights, Apr. 7, 2017, Art. 12, https://www.fifpro.org/media/md2efzpd/universal-declaration-of-player-rights-english-version.pdf.
PREMIER LEAGUE, HANDBOOK, 2020-21 EDITION (Football Association Premier League Limited, 2020),Art. 1.141, https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/document/2020/09/11/dc7e76c1-f78d-45a2-be4a-4c6bc33368fa/2020-21-PL-Handbook-110920.pdf.
Id. at Art 1.89.
Id. at D.2.
Id.
Id. at Clause 4.6, Form 14, English Football League Contract.
Hopkinson, supra note 7.
Sports Club and Ors. v. H.M. Inspector of Taxes, [2000] STC (SCD) 443.
Id.
Fernanda Chamusca, Image Rights of Footballers, LEX SPORTIVA (Aug. 23, 2019), https://lexsportiva.blog/2019/08/23/image-rights/.
DANIEL GEEY, DONE DEAL: AN INSIDER’S GUIDE TO FOOTBALL CONTRACTS, MULTI-MILLION POUNDS TRANSFERS AND PREMIER LEAGUE BIG BUSINESS (Bloomsbury Sport, 2019).
Id.
Christelle Deliège v. Ligue Francophone de Judo et Disciplines Associées ASBL, C-51/96, C-191/97, [2000] ECR I-2549.
Dr Corinna Coors, Are sports image rights assets? A legal, economic and tax perspective, 15 THE INTERNATIONAL SPORTS LAW JOURNAL 66, 64-68 (2015).
Douglas and Ors. v. Hello Limited, [2001] 2 WLR 992.
Fenty & Ors. v. Arcadia Group Brands Ltd & Anr., [2015] EWCA Civ 3.
Luca Ferrari, Stella Riberti, ‘Comparing How Image Rights Laws Apply To Sport In The US, UK And Europe’, LAW IN SPORT (December 22, 2015), https://www.lawinsport.com/topics/item/comparing-how-image-rights-laws-apply-to-sport-in-the-us-uk-and-europe.
Ian Blackshaw, ‘Understanding Sports Image Rights’, WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANISATION (July 29, 2021), https://www.wipo.int/ip-outreach/en/ipday/2019/understanding_sports_image_rights.html.
‘What are Image Rights’, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE, http://ipo.guernseyregistry.com/article/103037/What-are-Image-Rights.
Haelen Laborotories v. Topps Chewing Gum, 202 F.2d 866 (1953).
Cardtoons, L.C. v. Major League Baseball Players Ass’ n, 838 F. Supp 1501 (N.D. Okla. 1993).
Kahn v. Electronic Arts GmbH Unreported, 13 January 2004, OLG Hamburg.
ICC Development (International) v. Arvee Enterprises, 2003 VIIAD Delhi 405, 2003 (26) PTC 245 Del, 2004 (1) RAJ 10.
Justice K.S. Puttaswamy and Ors. v. Union of India and Ors., AIR 2017 SC 4161.
Lakshmi Kruttika Vijay, Rohan Sharma, ‘Celebrities: Just what are their personality rights?’, ANAND AND ANAND (December 27, 2016), https://law.asia/celebrities-just-what-are-their-personality-rights/.
Titan Industries v. M/S Ramkumar Jewellers, 2012 (50) PTC 486 (Del).
Justice K.S. Puttaswamy and Ors. v. Union of India and Ors., AIR 2017 SC 4161.
The Indian Singers Rights Association v. Chapter 25 Bar And Restaurant, CS (OS) 2068/2015.
Ian Blackshaw, ‘Understanding Sports Image Rights’, WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION (2020), https://www.wipo.int/ip-outreach/en/ipday/2019/understanding_sports_image_rights.html.
Id.
Carolina Pina, ‘The Role of IP for Athletes and Image Rights’, GARRIGUES (2020), https://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/doc_details.jsp?doc_id=291665.
Lawrence Hurley, ‘Supreme Court Lets NFL Players’ Image Rights Claims Proceed’, INSURANCE JOURNAL (March 21, 2016), https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2016/03/21/402495.htm.
Gabriel Eguinoa, ‘EA Sports vs Image Rights in Brazil: Why can’t I play with Brazil on FIFA 2020’, LEX SPORTIVA (JULY 22, 2020), https://lexsportiva.blog/2020/07/22/easportsvimagerightsinbrazil/.
Hopkinson, supra note 7.
supra note 66.
David Lange, Career earnings of Golf player Tiger Woods from 1996 to 2016, STATISTA (Nov. 25, 2020), https://www.statista.com/statistics/411993/earnings-of-tiger-woods/.
‘#3 Cristiano Ronaldo’, FORBES (Apr. 6, 2021), https://www.forbes.com/profile/cristiano-ronaldo/?sh=7a1ac325565d
Published
2024-01-01
How to Cite
Tarun, Rajpal, R., & Chauhan, V. S. (2024). Image Rights of Sportspersons: Increasing the Ambit of Privacy. GLS Law Journal , 6(1), 21 - 29. Retrieved from https://glslawjournal.in/index.php/glslawjournal/article/view/124
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Articles
