Manu Bhaker’s team has taken legal action against several brands for using her images without permission on social media to congratulate her for her achievements in the Paris Olympics. The brands, which are not officially associated with Bhaker, have been accused of unauthorized “moment marketing.”
Neerav Tomar, Managing Director of IOS Sports & Entertainment, which manages Bhaker, stated, “Almost two dozen brands not affiliated with Manu have released congratulatory ads on social media featuring her images. This constitutes unauthorized ‘moment marketing,’ and legal notices will be served to these brands.”
This issue is not unique to Bhaker. Other Indian athletes from the Paris Games, such as boxer Nikhat Zareen and badminton players Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, have also faced similar unauthorized usage of their images by non-associated brands. Baseline Ventures, the firm representing these athletes, emphasized that strict legal action will be taken against brands that use athletes’ images without proper sponsorship.
Bhaker made history at the Paris Olympics by becoming the first athlete from post-independent India to win two individual medals in the same Olympics. She secured a bronze medal in the 10m air pistol individual event and, along with Sarabjot, won another bronze in the 10m air pistol mixed team event. Her achievements have placed India 28th in the medals table, alongside Moldova.
Despite her challenges during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where her pistol malfunctioned, Bhaker has shown remarkable growth and composure under pressure. She continues to compete and remains a contender for another podium finish in the 25m sports pistol event, with qualifications set for August 2.
