Brands that don’t sponsor athletes cannot legally use their images in ads

According to an ET report, brands using photos and videos of Indian Olympic medal winners in their ads without sponsoring them will face legal notices for violating personality rights, according to executives managing top Indian athletes. Manu Bhaker, a 22-year-old shooter who won a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics on July 28, 2024, has seen congratulatory messages from brands that haven’t sponsored her. "Since yesterday, almost two dozen brands not associated with Manu have posted congratulatory ads on social media using her images. This is not allowed, and we are sending legal notices to these brands," said Neerav Tomar, MD of IOS Sports & Entertainment, which manages Bhaker. A spokesperson from Baseline Ventures, representing boxer Nikhat Zareen and badminton players Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, added, "Brands that don’t sponsor our athletes cannot legally use their images in ads. If they do, we will take action."