More Than Medals: Protecting the Olympic Brand

Authors

Olivia M. Zykoff

First Page

224

Abstract

The enforcement of intellectual property rights is critical for brand protection. When a country is given the power to host an event as grand as the Olympic Games, it takes on immense responsibility to protect all aspects of the Games ahead. Importantly, as an international event that travels to a new host country every two years, the Olympic brand requires centralized protection, to be overseen by a leading body, the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This Note reviews the foundational protections given to the Olympic brand by the IOC and examines the country-specific treatment and protections granted to Olympic properties at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. Considering the shortcomings observed at previous Games, this Note proposes solutions, to be implemented through collaboration between the IOC and host countries, with a focus on ground level enforcement.

Recommended Citation

Olivia M. Zykoff, More Than Medals: Protecting the Olympic Brand, 51 Brook. J. Int'l L. 224 (2025).
Available at: https://brooklynworks.brooklaw.edu/bjil/vol51/iss1/7