Nike fined for putting Tony Parker jersey on French statue in 2011
Some would say Tony Parker's offensive game is basketball art. Jean Cardot probably isn't one of those people.
Cardot, a sculptor, recently sued Nike and promotional company Ubi Bene for putting a Parker jersey on a statue he sculpted of Winston Churchill. Nike was ordered by a French court last week to pay roughly $74,000 (USD) in damages.
The statue, unveiled in 1998 and costing an estimated $275,000 in public donations to commission, is apparently not meant to be adorned with Nike apparel, even for one of the country's premier basketball stars.
#MDNocturnos Condenan a Nike por vestir a Wiston Churchill de Tony Parker http://t.co/pmbirjbDe4 pic.twitter.com/eO12B3uS8o
— Marketing Deportivo (@marketingdeport) July 3, 2015
Cardot's claim stated that he was not asked for permission to alter his statue for commercial purposes, claiming his work had been defiled. The court agreed that Cardot's rights had been violated.
The promotion took place back in 2011, with the French national team taking a photo with the statue to celebrate its qualification for EuroBasket. France placed second in the tournament, qualifying for the 2012 London Olympic Games, where it finished sixth.