Michael Jordan has won part of his trademark case against a China-based sportswear company, following the retired basketball star’s years-long struggle for control over the rights to his Chinese name.



In a ruling by the Chinese supreme court, Qiaodan Sports Co, based in south-eastern Fujian province, must stop using the Chinese characters for Qiaodan on its merchandise, according to a transcript of court records posted on an official website.

The word is a Chinese rendering of Jordan’s name that is widely known by the country’s consumers.

The supreme court did not stop the company from using phonetic spellings of Jordan’s Chinese name using the English alphabet, however, saying they do not infringe on his right to use his name in the country.

“I am happy that the supreme people’s court has recognised the right to protect my name through its ruling in the trademark cases,” Jordan said in a statement.

“Today’s decision ensures that my Chinese fans and all Chinese consumers know that Qiaodan Sports and its products have no connection to me.”

The former Chicago Bulls player asked Chinese authorities in 2012 to revoke the company’s trademarks, which featured a similar name and logo to Jordan’s Nike-produced brand.

A Qiaodan-branded trainer in a store in Beijing. Photograph: Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images

The six-time NBA champion, who retired in 2003, accused the company of misleading consumers about its ties to him by using the name along with a silhouette of a leaping basketball player resembling the “Jumpman” logo used by Nike to promote its Air Jordan brand.

Jordan filed his appeal to China’s highest court after his claims were rejected by two lower courts.

China has long been seen as a counterfeiters’ haven and has constantly been criticised by its trade partners over lax protection of intellectual property rights.

It remained on this year’s US priority watch list of trading partners that fail to protect such rights despite “welcome developments ... [in] legal and regulatory reform efforts, and encouraging developments in individual cases in China’s courts”, according to the committee that compiles the list.

Qiaodan Sports Co could not be reached for comment.