11-11-2002, 12:31 PM
Conservationists prepare for showdown with wrestlers
Lawyers from WWF, the charity formerly known as the World Wildlife Fund, are to claim for damages "worth several million pounds" against World Wrestling Entertainment, the professional wrestling organisation. They are reigniting a conflict over use of the WWF name.
The WWF, which campaigns to protect endangered species, including the snow leopard (above), confirmed last week that a formal claim for damages was pending, even though a legal battle over the use of the "WWF" initials was settled in June in the charity's favour.
Before that, wrestling business traded as the World Wrestling Federation.
World Wrestling Entertainment reacted furiously on Friday to news of the claim, describing the WWF's move as "offensive" and "unprecedented for a charity to be engaged in".
But the WWF, run by Robert Napier, ex-chief executive of Redland, the building group, claims the wrestlers caused extensive damage to its brand by using its name illegally.
A spokesman refused to reveal the exact size of the damages claim, but said the WWF would consider a negotiated settlement with the wrestlers
Lawyers from WWF, the charity formerly known as the World Wildlife Fund, are to claim for damages "worth several million pounds" against World Wrestling Entertainment, the professional wrestling organisation. They are reigniting a conflict over use of the WWF name.
The WWF, which campaigns to protect endangered species, including the snow leopard (above), confirmed last week that a formal claim for damages was pending, even though a legal battle over the use of the "WWF" initials was settled in June in the charity's favour.
Before that, wrestling business traded as the World Wrestling Federation.
World Wrestling Entertainment reacted furiously on Friday to news of the claim, describing the WWF's move as "offensive" and "unprecedented for a charity to be engaged in".
But the WWF, run by Robert Napier, ex-chief executive of Redland, the building group, claims the wrestlers caused extensive damage to its brand by using its name illegally.
A spokesman refused to reveal the exact size of the damages claim, but said the WWF would consider a negotiated settlement with the wrestlers