The event organized by the Hellenic Copyright Organization was successfully held on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at the Olympic Museum of Athens, titled “Intellectual Property and Sports: Ready, Set, Innovate!”, as part of the celebration of World Intellectual Property Day 2026.
The event highlighted the crucial role of intellectual property in modern sports, focusing on the challenges of the digital era, the protection of sports content, and the importance of innovation and industrial property as key drivers of growth. It also served as a meaningful platform for dialogue and knowledge exchange among stakeholders, contributing to stronger collaboration and reinforcing the role of intellectual property as a cornerstone of innovation and development. The opening of the event was addressed by the President of the Hellenic Copyright Organization, Mr. Panagiotis Tsiris, who emphasized the importance of intellectual property as a key factor in fostering innovation and sustainable development in sports, while also underlining the Organization’s role in promoting awareness and knowledge in this field.
Within the framework of the thematic sessions, the following speakers and moderators participated:
Georgios Lianos, Moderator
He outlined the general framework and emerging challenges of intellectual property in sports.
Katarzyna Gorgol-Maeder & Carlos Castro (International Olympic Committee)
They focused on the importance of intellectual property for sports event organizers, drawing on the experience and example of the Olympic Games.
Maria G. Sinanidou
She presented the concept of intellectual property as the valuable “12th player” in sports.
Alexia Goritsa
She addressed dispute resolution in intellectual property and esports through WIPO.
Konstantinos Christodoulou, Moderator
He moderated the discussion on rights protection and governance in the sports sector.
Maria-Dafni Papadopoulou, Katia Koxenoglou, Eva Moustaka, Panagiotis Varvatsoulis
They analyzed issues related to the protection of audiovisual works, the sports market, creators’ rights, and institutional content protection.
Katerina Margellou, Moderator
She presented the framework of industrial property and innovation in sports.
Dimitris Stafylas
He discussed the importance of sports equipment, innovation, and intellectual property in the context of the Olympic Games and the Olympic spirit.
Aristeidis Pittaras
He referred to the role of design and innovation in sports.
Villy Davilla
She focused on trademarks in the sports sector, presenting current commercial practices and case law.
The active participation of the audience and the fruitful discussion that followed were particularly noteworthy, confirming the growing interest in issues linking sports with intellectual property.
The Hellenic Copyright Organization warmly thanks all speakers, moderators, and participants for their valuable contribution to the success of the event.
Photos from the event follow.