Court Rules Unauthorized Use of Highly Similar Tournament Rules Constitutes Copyright Infringement

WISECODE Take

Many business owners mistakenly believe that if external experts draft event rules or proposals, the copyright automatically belongs to those individuals. This judgment dispels this misconception, clearly defining the ownership of collective creations under organizational direction. In a judgment released on August 12, 2026, the Beijing Chaoyang District People's Court ruled on a dispute over the "2022 Draft for Comments" tournament rules. Eight individuals, including Li, registered rules with over 90% similarity as their personal works, but the court ruled them to be "works of a legal person" under Article 11 of the Copyright Law, ordering them to pay 60,000 RMB in damages to the aviation center. Ordinary enterprises that do not host public tournaments or set industry standards remain unaffected by this ruling. However, if you frequently commission external experts to establish internal standards, Zidian's Trade Secret Management System Establishment service can help clarify ownership. I offer two practical recommendations. First, sign a written agreement explicitly assigning copyright to the company before commissioning any rules or materials; second, retain all meeting minutes and revision histories during the project to prove the work was conducted under the company's direction.