Market vendor in copyright row over rugby union T-shirt logos

The Hong Kong Rugby Football Union is embroiled in a dispute with a hawker at Stanley Market over the sale of rugby tops with a dragon crest which they claim infringes their trademark.

The HKRFU threatened to sue Sam Sham Wai-kuen, 49, unless he ceased sales of the rugby tops and paid an unspecified amount in compensation.

But Mr Sham said the logos on his rugby tops looked 'nothing like' the HKRFU trademark, and the association was trying to bully him into closing his business.

Mr Sham has been selling rugby jerseys from his stall in Stanley Market since 1998, including a variety of shirts that resemble the uniforms of international rugby teams from around the world. Among his merchandise are commemorative shirts that bear the words, , with a dragon and rugby ball emblazoned on top.

Mr Sham applied for copyright on his logo in March last year, which was opposed by the HKRFU, whose logo also sports a dragon and the words .

In November last year, he received a letter of ultimatum from solicitors Johnson, Stokes & Master on behalf of the union demanding he withdraw his trademark application, cease distributing the infringing products and contribute towards their client's costs and damages. Mr Sham agreed to drop the Chinese characters for Hong Kong in his logo, substituting them with the characters for Stanley. He said the union had also insisted he get rid of the dragon.