Counterfeit Paris Olympic medals are selling well on e-commerce platforms, but lawyers say there is a risk of infringement

According to this site’s news on August 12, the Paris Olympics has concluded. According to China Business News, a large number of imitation “Olympic medals” have appeared on multiple e-commerce platforms. These imitations are sold on platforms such as Pinduoduo, Taobao, JD.com and Douyin. Their appearance is almost the same as the medals won by athletes at the Paris Olympics, and the prices range from 111 yuan to 402 yuan.

1. On Taobao, "an 'Olympic Medal'" was purchased by more than 100 people within a week, and more than 1,000 people added it to their shopping carts.
2. On Pinduoduo, an “Olympic Medal” is priced at 117.99 yuan, and 231 pieces have been sold.
3. The products on JD.com are directly marked as "2024 Paris Olympic Games medal model collection 1:1 replica souvenir".
4. Most merchants on Douyin avoided the words "Paris Olympics", emphasizing that they are souvenirs that "1:1 restore the gold medals of athletes from the 2024 Summer Games".

Some merchants say that their products are "almost" like Olympic gold medals. They are made of zinc alloy and are wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant. Public information shows that the Paris Olympic gold medal consists of 523 grams of silver and 6 grams of gold, and contains an old iron piece from the Eiffel Tower. Most of the "medals" sold on e-commerce platforms are made of zinc alloy, weighing 340 grams and 8.5 centimeters in diameter.

Judging from user reviews, most consumers buy these "medals" for collection purposes. However, lawyers warned that these “medals” are at risk of infringement. The "Olympic Symbol Protection Regulations" stipulate that no one may use the Olympic symbol for commercial purposes without permission. Merchants imitate and sell Olympic gold medals, infringing the exclusive rights of the Olympic logo. In addition, the design and pattern of the gold medal may be protected by copyright law, and unauthorized copying and distribution may constitute copyright infringement.

If a merchant makes false propaganda during the sales process, it may constitute unfair competition

. Even if some merchants mark "ordinary souvenirs" in product pictures, this cannot reduce their risk of infringement, because the protection of Olympic exclusive rights covers direct use of products, packaging, and advertising.

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