#BEIJING2015: JAAA warns against unauthorised use of athletes’ images
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) has issued a warning against what it described as the exploitation of the image rights of athletes competing at the IAAF World Championships currently underway in Beijing, China.
In a release sent to the media early on Saturday, JAAA Press Relation Officer Dennis Gordon appealed to the companies involved to respect the rights of the athletes and seek to engage them and seek the necessary approvals, warning that failure to do so will lead to preventative action.
“The JAAA is concerned about the seeming attempt by certain corporate companies to exploit the athletes’ image,” the release read.
“The continued practice to associate their products with the athletes and or Jamaican track and field is prohibited. Therefore, the appropriate remedy will be pursued against those who are found to be in breach,” the release continued. “I am therefore appealing to those companies to respect the athletes’ image rights by appropriately engaging them in contract rather than seek to exploit their images.”
Several congratulatory advertisements bearing images of Jamaica’s athletes competing at the World Championships have been placed in both the electronic and print media by companies with no contractual arrangements with the athletes or their managers to do so.