Olympics bullies ICANN with legal action threat over new gTLDs

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is the latest organisation to express its displeasure with ICANN over the proposal to introduce new generic Top Level Domains, saying they are concerned about the possibility of a proliferation in cybersquatting of domains names related to the IOC.The IOC suggests in a letter to ICANN on April 9, that any new gTLDs “should expressly provide trademark owners with effective remedies against cybersquatters and should provide for a list of reserved Olympic Trademarks, just as ICANN has reserved its own marks, based on statutory protection afforded to the Olympic Movement, which sets it apart from other commercial entities.”In a sort of “back to the future moment”, the IOC attaches an “earlier” letter to ICANN dated December 5, 2009, where the IOC describes the protection of various “Olympic Trademarks”. Going by legal action undertaken around the world, it is clear the IOC jealously guards its trademarks, in part because of cybersquatters, among others, exploiting them. It also describes legislation introduced into various countries such as the United States to combat the problems.In his comments on the IOC’s strong arm tactics, Stephane Van Gelder makes the point that “surely any trademark holder has a unique intellectual property right. Why should the IOC get special treatment? The answer is obvious. They have the means and the power to threaten ICANN – and the innovation that the new gTLD program represents for the Internet – in a way that others do not.”While trademark holders such as the IOC have an important point to make in this debate, it would be hoped that they will not be bullied when making a decision on whether to introduce new GTLDs and make the decision on its merits.Further, there is the case of internationalised domain names that none, or at the least very few, of the organisations against the introduction of new gTLDs discuss. Surely domain names in the language of the domain name registrant are a fundamental right.The IOC’s letter to ICANN is available from:
forum.icann.org/lists/2gtld-guide/msg00019.html