Diego Maradona’s heirs win legal battle

BRUSSELS –

The heirs of the late soccer star Diego Maradona have won a legal battle over the use of his trademark.

Maradona had registered his name as a trademark with the European Union Intellectual Property Office in 2008 for a variety of products, clothing, footwear and headgear.

The general court of the European Union confirmed Tuesday that it declined to transfer the trademark to Sattvica, an Argentine company belonging to Maradona’s former lawyer.

“The documents submitted in support of the request for registration of the transfer do not justify an assignment of the trade mark to that company,” the court said.

Maradona died in November 2020 and Sattvica later requested EUIPO to register the transfer of trademark on the basis of two documents issued by Maradona. After EUIPO registered the transfer, Maradona’s heirs had it canceled, and Sattvica asked the EU court to annul the decision.

“The Court dismisses Sattvica’s action,” it said in a statement. “It confirms the EUIPO’s assessment: the documents produced by that company do not formally justify an assignment of the trade mark in its favour under a contract signed between the two parties. Furthermore, as Maradona had died before the request for registration of the transfer was submitted, Sattvica could not correct the irregularities found. Nor was it able to produce any other documents.”

Sattvica can appeal the decision to the EU Court of Justice, Europe’s top court.