Special report: 2008 Olympic Games

    BEIJING, July 24 (Xinhua) -- The Olympic rings and "Beijing 2008" are among the most frequently infringed Olympic logos, a Chinese official said here on Thursday.

    Fu Shuangjian, the State Administration For Industry and Commerce deputy head, said there were no statistics about the exact uses of the infringement, and the conclusion was based on estimation.

    When asked whether vendors along the streets of quake areas or torch-relay cities selling T-shirts and other merchandise bearing the pattern of Olympic mascots Fuwa, Beijing Olympic torch or the sign of "Beijing 2008" had infringed the copyright of Olympic logos, Fu said it would depend on whether the producers were authorized manufacturers.

    "The logos printed on apparels need to be authenticated by the administration, and cases of infringing use would definitely be penalized," he told a press conference at the new Beijing International Media Center.

    The penalties would range from ceasing the infringement, compensating the customers, confiscating illegal earnings from the infringement, to fines. In some cases, the business license of manufacturers could be suspended, according to Fu.

    "Punishment could be just one penalty, or more than one at the same time. And judicial departments will be called into play if criminal offences are found."

    Official statistics showed about 2,882 such infringement cases were found from 2004 to the first half of 2008, involving 33.97 million yuan (about 5 million U.S. dollars), and fines totaling 20.64 million yuan were passed onto offenders.

    Among them, three cases were surrendered to judicial institutions along with eight offenders.

    Fu said 198 Olympic logos had so far been filed with the administration and made public. The administration had also filed contracts stating the use of Olympic logos by 605 authorized companies, either the global partners of the Olympics, or partners, sponsors and suppliers of the Beijing Olympics.

    He made it clear that newspapers, adverts and magazines needed to get authorization before they use the Olympic logos, otherwise it would be illegal.

    In cases of advertisements featuring famous athletes like hurdler Liu Xiang, Fu said there should be no infringement if no use of registered Olympic logos are found.

    He said such infringement cases involving Olympic logos were decreasing as the Games neared, without giving any figures.

    He added the administration would dispatch officials to supervise the protection of the Olympic logo copyright in co-host cities next week.

    China issued a regulation to protect the Olympic logo copyright as early as in February 2002.

    The copyright belongs to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Beijing Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games and the Chinese Olympic Committee.