Footballer to take legal action against toy company for using his image

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

England and Manchester united 

player, Bastian schweinsteiger is to

 take legal action against a Chinese

 toy  company. In what may seem a 

clear case of image exploitation, the 

company in question produced and 

marketed a German toy soldier named 

Bastian bearing remarkable resemblance

 to the player. According to reports by 

German daily Bild, Schweinsteiger is 

suing the Chinese company over the

 'Bastian range' of dolls, that not only

 share a name with the 31-year-old

 but also bear an uncanny

 resemblance to him. (left is the doll,

 and right is the real person)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The company however does not 

believe it has infringed the player's 

rights. The Chinese maker of

 'Bastian' described his similarities to 

the former Bayern Munich man as 

"purely coincidental." It added:

 "The figure is a member of a 

Wehrmacht supply unit, a 

so-called 'kitchen boy'."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Dutch company contracted to 

market the toy in Europe for £65 

per piece has also denied allegations

 of infringement saying "We offer 

no figures based on the football. 

The resemblance is purely coincidental. 

The figure is based on a typical German. 

We believe most Germans look like this.

 Bastian is a common name in Germany."

A bit too coincidental don't you think?