Early last month Qingdao-based Meihe Home Textile Co Ltd brought Beijing Guangxin Sida Information Co Ltd to court in a trademark infringement dispute. Meihe claims the defendant has manufactured counterfeit FIFA World Cup products since May.
Meihe signed an agreement with the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and Warner Bros Consumer Products on March 1, in which Meihe was authorized to import and sell FIFA World Cup products such as cushions, blankets, bath towels, and aprons.
But on May 22, Meihe discovered that a company in Beijing had purchased a number of FIFA World Cup products, including T-shirts and blankets bearing blurred logos and marks of the 2006 FIFA World Cup. The Administration for Industry and Commerce later proved that these goods, produced by Beijing Guangxin Sida Information Co Ltd, were counterfeit products.Meihe claims its rights and interests have been violated. It has asked the court to order the defendant to stop the infringement and publicly apologize.
