A Beijing court has dismissed a trademark case brought by US basketball superstar Michael Jordan against a company using a similar name and logo to his Nike-produced brand, a report said.

The former Chicago Bull is arguably the most popular international basketball star in China and is known in the country as "Qiaodan", a Chinese version of his name.

He asked Chinese authorities in 2012 to revoke the trademark of Qiaodan Sports Co, accusing the sportswear firm of misleading consumers about its ties to the six-time NBA champion.

As well as the name, Qiaodan's products carry a silhouette of a leaping basketball player resembling the "Jumpman" logo used by US sporting goods giant Nike to promote its Air Jordan brand.

Authorities refused Jordan's request, and a lower court in Beijing did the same. He appealed to the Beijing Higher People's Court, which has ruled against him, the Chinese news portal Sohu reported.

"'Jordan' is not the only possible reference for 'Qiaodan' in the trademark under dispute," it cited a transcript of the verdict as saying.

"In addition, 'Jordan' is a common surname used by Americans," the court added according to the report Monday, and the logo was in the shape of a person with no facial features, so that it was "hard" for consumers to identify it as Jordan.

There was insufficient evidence to prove the trademark referred to the US star, it concluded.

Jordan retired from the sport in 2003.

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 certain improvements".

Qiaodan Sports Co, based in the eastern province of Fujian, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

Jordan should just buy the company and kill the owners and all of the employees. That will make an example of them.

just another example of China being posers as a legitimate state.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

The story really needs a picture of the logos in question. Jerry West might have a better case.

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Soccer 1,2,3
Spanish Honor Society 1,2,3,4
Forensics 1,2,3,4

"Smiles with Nostrils"

"...no Hmong, go find some blacks"

Why does China think that M. Jeff has a short, triangular shaped dong?

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Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

I think it's supposed to be folded in half.

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Soccer 1,2,3
Spanish Honor Society 1,2,3,4
Forensics 1,2,3,4

"Smiles with Nostrils"

"...no Hmong, go find some blacks"

It uses his name.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

Agreed. That's an argument a kid would make.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

I think its more indicative of China saying Fuck you to us ..We owe em so much god damn dough , they punk us n we take it.

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I'd never noticed that Jordan is wearing pants in that logo.

I'm going to picture them as a smart pair of slacks.

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You know me like that.

Perfect for airline travel.

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"I'm not smiling because I thought what you said was humorous. I'm smiling because one day I know you'll be dead..."