Protecting Major Sporting Events with Particular Reference to the 2012 London Olympic Games

Abstract

Sport is big business and mega bucks are spent on organising and commercialising major sporting events, such as the FIFA World Cup and the Summer and Winter Olympics. In this article, we will consider in what ways the law is able to protect the substantial investments made in these sporting events by organisers and sports sponsors and merchandisers alike, particularly in relation to the 2012 London Olympic Games and the rise of the phenomenon of so-called ‘Ambush Marketing’. Finally, some general conclusions will be drawn.