Jordan ruling puts sportswear company through hoops in court

On Dec 8, the Supreme People's Court, China's top legal chamber, reached a verdict in a retrial of a long case regarding three trademarks that used the name of Michael Jordan, the retired basketball player.

The court ruled in favor of Jordan and forbade Qiaodan (pronounced "Cheeow-dahn") Sports, a Chinese sportswear company, from using the characters for "Jordan" in three trademarks it has registered.

The decision was made on the grounds that Qiaodan Sports had infringed Jordan's right to use his name, which is a not only a legal right, but had been established before the three trademarks were registered.