Olympic symbols’ sanctity clarified

China has revised a regulation on the protection of Olympic symbols to help safeguard the legitimate interests of intellectual property rights holders — part of an effort to promote the healthy and fair development of the Games.

It was made public on Saturday after Premier Li Keqiang signed off on it.

The revision — modifying an earlier one that took effect in 2002, ahead the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and similarly issued ahead of a coming event (in this case the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics) — details the range, identification and protection of Olympic symbols.

Under the revised rules, Olympic symbols include relevant names, signs, emblems or mascots used in China during both the application process and the Games themselves. It includes the five-ring Olympic symbol, as well as the motto, flags, emblems and anthems of the International Olympic Committee and the names or abbreviations of the Olympiad.

The revision also specifies those with the right to use the Olympic symbols — the International Olympic Committee and Chinese Olympic Committee, as well as institutions or organizations that apply for or hold the events within China.

Those proper users, or “obligees”, are asked to submit Olympic symbols to intellectual property authorities under the State Council — the country’s Cabinet — which will then make relevant announcements. Those who wish to use protected symbols for commercial purposes must sign a license agreement with the obligees.

The regulation adds a clause stating that the period of validity for Olympic symbols is 10 years, with extensions allowed under prescribed circumstances.

Using Olympic symbols without authorization or using similar symbols to mislead the public constitute violations of the exclusive rights to Olympic symbols, it said, adding that violators will face strengthened administrative punishments and bigger fines.

The new regulation, which takes effect on July 31, is also enforceable for Paralympic Games symbols.