Character Witness - Image Rights In Guernsey

The new image rights legislation offers flexibility and unique protection for famous names, says Jason Romer.

What was your overriding memory of this year's Olympic games? Was it Bradley Wiggins winning the cycling road race or perhaps Mo Farah's double athletics victories or Usain Bolt's trio of successes. Whatever the standout moment, it would probably be fair to say that any such memory has a strong image associated with it. Each of the above examples might conjure up sideburns, the 'Mobot' pose or of course the now obligatory Bolt victory stance. These and others like them are synonymous with the athletes themselves. Despite the fact that these images are so instantly recognisable around they world, they can not, for the most part, be protected.