Chinese sportswear firm countersues Michael Jordan over trademark dispute

Chinese sportswear company Qiaodan Sports is countersuing the former US basketball star Michael Jordan for alleged damage to the company's reputation.

It is seeking 1.1 million yuan (almost 163,000 US dollars) in compensation, and has called for an apology from the basketball hero.

Michael Jordan's representatives present at the Supreme People's Court when the controversial trademark case was brought to final trial in Beijing on December 8, 2016. [Photo: sohu.com]

According to the suit filed by Qiaodan Sports, Michael Jordan authorized a law firm to send a letter to the Tianjin Sport Bureau and the organizing committee of the Chinese National Games in February, alleging the unauthorized use of his name and image.

Last December, the China's Supreme People's Court ruled that Michael Jordan owned the rights to his name in Chinese characters, "乔丹", ending a long-running trademark dispute with the company.

However, the Supreme Court said the firm's other trademarks involving the player's name in the 'pinyin' transliteration system, "Qiáo dān " still stand, as Michael Jordan did not own the name rights in that form.

Qiaodan Sports is claiming Michael Jordan's lawyers misled the third party in the letter, suggested that Qiaodan Sports lost the right to all of its trademarks, which lowered the credit ranking of the Chinese company.