Mo Salah reignites image rights complaint with Egyptian Football Association
Egyptian professional footballer Mohamed Salah has accused the Egyptian Football Association ( EFA) of ignoring his complaints over its use of his image without his permission.
Salah, 26, plays for UK-based Liverpool FC and represents his home nation of Egypt in international games.
In April, Salah’s image was used to promote the Egyptian football team’s official sponsor mobile internet brand WE on the national team’s aeroplane. At the time, Salah had a sponsorship deal with telecoms company Vodafone.
According to UK newspaper, The Independent, Salah said he was “insulted” that nobody had contacted him regarding the use of his image and that it conflicted with his commercial interests with Vodafone.
In a tweet sent on Sunday, August 26, Salah accused the EFA of ignoring his complaints over the association’s use of his image in association with WE.
“It’s normal that a football union seeks to solve the problems of its players so they can provide comfort,” he said.
“But in fact, what I see is exactly the opposite. It is not normal that my messages and my lawyer’s letters are ignored.”
Salah’s lawyer, Ramy Abbas, also took to Twitter to express his dissatisfaction with the alleged lack of correspondence.
“We asked for guarantees regarding Mohamed’s wellbeing whilst with the national team, and assurances that the image rights violations wouldn’t happen again,” he tweeted. “That’s all. They have yet to respond.”
Salah has been shortlisted by Europe’s football governing body UEFA as one of three players for the Men’s Player of the Year Award 2018.
The use of celebrities’ images to market products without consent has been the cause of controversy in the past.
Earlier this month, WIPR reported that the son of late actor Steve McQueen sued Ferrari for using his father’s persona to market a car without permission.
According to the claim, the car manufacturer used McQueen’s image in its marketing strategy, including on its website, social media and brochures.
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