LONDON - The World Wildlife Fund for Nature has overcome the considerable muscle of the World Wrestling Federation in a legal tussle over the use of the acronym WWF.
A High Court judge in London upheld a claim by the wildlife charity that the wrestling federation broke a 1994 agreement under which it promised to restrict its use of the initials in promoting the "sport", whose stars include The Rock and Hulk Hogan.
The charity, which is the world's largest private international nature organisation, with more than 4.5 million individual contributors, registered the initials as a trademark in 1961 when it was founded as the World Wildlife Fund.
Although it changed its name to the World Wide Fund for Nature in Britain and several other countries in 1989, it still uses the initials WWF with the panda symbol in advertising campaigns all over the world.
It decided to take legal action to avoid brand-name confusion after the United States-based wrestling federation expanded into other parts of the world, including Europe.
Justice Jacob ruled that since 1997 the wrestling organisation had ignored an agreement to stop using the initials to promote its business.
The wrestling foundation argued that prohibiting use of the initials was an unreasonable restraint of trade.
Although it is still permitted to use its full title, it faces the costs of changing its brand name which could amount to £35 million ($112 million).
The World Wide Fund for Nature said after the ruling that the judgment would stop the federation using the website address www.wwf.com.
The case returns to court on October 1 for argument on damages for breach of contract, legal costs and the wording of an injunction to be made against the federation.
- INDEPENDENT
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