China Overturns Previous Ruling, Michael Jordan Wins Against Qiaodan Sportswear

Back in July 2015, Michael Jordan’s trademark case against Qiaodan Sports was dismissed by a Beijing court. Today, China’s Supreme People’s Court have overturned that decision and ruled in favor of MJ. The result means that the Chinese sportswear company will have to give up its trademark registration on the Chinese character version of Jordan’s name, Qiaodan (乔丹). However, the court did uphold a ruling that will allow the use of the Romanized version of Qiaodan. In what has been a four-year long battle between The G.O.A.T and the Chinese firm, Jordan reportedly said, “I am happy that the Supreme People’s Court has recognized the right to protect my name through its ruling in the trademark cases.” Qiaodan Sports released a statement on its website acknowledging the ruling and declaring its intention to respect the decision.

Could this be the big shift needed in ongoing intellectual property rights lawsuits in China? Let us know below what you think.