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Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2021

Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2021

Administered by Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts

Legislation au C2021A00117 In force Act

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No. 117, 2021

An Act to amend the law relating to sport, and for related purposes

Contents

1 Short title

2 Commencement

3 Schedules

Schedule 1—Main amendments

Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Act 2014

Schedule 2—Other amendments

Sport Integrity Australia Act 2020

Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2021

No. 117, 2021

An Act to amend the law relating to sport, and for related purposes

[Assented to 3 November 2021]

The Parliament of Australia enacts:

1 Short title

This Act is the Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2021.

2 Commencement

(1) Each provision of this Act specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.

Commencement information
Column 1	Column 2	Column 3
Provisions	Commencement	Date/Details
1. The whole of this Act	The day after this Act receives the Royal Assent.	4 November 2021

Note: This table relates only to the provisions of this Act as originally enacted. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this Act.

(2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this Act. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this Act.

3 Schedules

Legislation that is specified in a Schedule to this Act is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this Act has effect according to its terms.

Schedule 1—Main amendments

Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Act 2014

1A Section 9

Before “In this Act”, insert “(1)”.

1 Section 9 (definition of event body)

After “specified as an event body in”, insert “, or a body prescribed by rules made for the purposes of,”.

1B Section 9 (at the end of the definition of event body)

Add:

Note: See also subsection (2).

1C At the end of section 9

Add:

(2) For the purposes of the definition of event body in subsection (1), the rules may prescribe a body for the purposes of a Schedule to this Act that covers a major sporting event only if:

(a) the authorising body for the event requests the Minister in writing to make those rules; and

(b) the Minister is satisfied that:

(i) there was a delay in the establishment of the body that prevented the body from being specified by name in that Schedule; or

(ii) there has been a change of name of an existing event body for the event.

2 Schedule 1

Repeal the Schedule, substitute:

Schedule 1—ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022

Note: See section 9.

1 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 is a major sporting event

The event known as the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 is a major sporting event covered by this Schedule.

2 Authorising body for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022

ICC Business Corporation FZ‑LLC (being a wholly‑owned subsidiary of International Cricket Council Limited) is the authorising body for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022.

3 Event bodies for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022

The following are event bodies for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022:

(a) the authorising body;

(b) International Cricket Council Limited;

(d) Cricket Australia (ACN 006 089 130);

(e) a body that is prescribed by the rules.

4 Protected indicia of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022

The following are protected indicia of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022:

(a) ICC T20 World Cup 2022;

(b) ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022;

(d) T20WC;

(e) International Cricket Council;

(f) any expression that is prescribed by the rules;

(g) any expression that, to a reasonable person, would suggest a connection with the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022;

whether or not used in combination with any other expressions, letters, numbers or symbols.

5 When protected indicia and images relate to an event body for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022

Protected indicia and images of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 relate to each event body for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022, except as prescribed by the rules.

6 Protection period for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022

The protection period for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 is the period:

(a) starting at the commencement of this clause; and

(b) ending at the end of:

(i) 13 November 2023, unless subparagraph (ii) applies; or

(ii) if the rules prescribe an earlier day for the purposes of this subparagraph—that earlier day.

3 Schedule 3

Repeal the Schedule, substitute:

Schedule 2—Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Women’s World Cup Australia New Zealand 2023

Note: See section 9.

1 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Women’s World Cup Australia New Zealand 2023 is a major sporting event

The event known as the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Women’s World Cup Australia New Zealand 2023 is a major sporting event covered by this Schedule.

2 Authorising body for Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Women’s World Cup Australia New Zealand 2023

The Fédération Internationale de Football Association is the authorising body for the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Women’s World Cup Australia New Zealand 2023.

3 Event bodies for Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Women’s World Cup Australia New Zealand 2023

The following are event bodies for the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Women’s World Cup Australia New Zealand 2023:

(a) the authorising body;

(b) Football Australia Limited (ACN 106 478 068);

(ba) FWWC2023 Pty Ltd (ACN 650 853 302);

4 Protected indicia of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Women’s World Cup Australia New Zealand 2023

The following are protected indicia of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Women’s World Cup Australia New Zealand 2023:

(a) FIFA Women’s World Cup;

(b) FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023;

(d) FIFA Women’s World Cup New Zealand 2023;

(e) FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia New Zealand 2023;

(f) FWWC2023;

(g) Fédération Internationale de Football Association;

(h) any expression that is prescribed by the rules;

(i) any expression that, to a reasonable person, would suggest a connection with the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Women’s World Cup Australia New Zealand 2023;

whether or not used in combination with any other expressions, letters, numbers or symbols.

5 When protected indicia and images relate to an event body for the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Women’s World Cup Australia New Zealand 2023

Protected indicia and images of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Women’s World Cup Australia New Zealand 2023 relate to each event body for the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Women’s World Cup Australia New Zealand 2023, except as prescribed by the rules.

6 Protection period for Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Women’s World Cup Australia New Zealand 2023

The protection period for the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Women’s World Cup Australia New Zealand 2023 is the period:

(a) starting at the commencement of this clause; and

(b) ending at the end of:

(i) 31 December 2024, unless subparagraph (ii) applies; or

(ii) if the rules prescribe an earlier day for the purposes of this subparagraph—that earlier day.

4 Transitional provision—ICC T20 World Cup 2020

Despite the repeal of Schedule 1 to the Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Act 2014 made by this Schedule, that Schedule, as in force immediately before the commencement of this item, continues to apply on and after that commencement in relation to the ICC T20 World Cup 2020.

Schedule 2—Other amendments

Sport Integrity Australia Act 2020

1 Section 4 (definition of ineligibility)

Omit “Article 10.12.1”, substitute “Article 10.14”.

[Minister’s second reading speech made in—

Senate on 16 June 2021

House of Representatives on 25 October 2021]

(69/21)

Overview

The Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2021 was enacted by the Parliament of Australia to amend existing laws relating to sport. This Act, which received Royal Assent on 3 November 2021, primarily seeks to address the protection of indicia and images associated with major sporting events, ensuring that these are safeguarded against unauthorised use. The Act makes amendments to the Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Act 2014, introducing provisions that allow for the protection of indicia and images for upcoming events such as the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Women’s World Cup Australia New Zealand 2023. Additionally, it modifies the definition of ineligibility in the Sport Integrity Australia Act 2020 to ensure the continued integrity of sports governance and administration. This legislative amendment aims to enhance the protection of major sporting events' identities and uphold the standards of sports integrity within Australia.

Scope and Application

The Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2021 amends the Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Act 2014, which provides protection for indicia and images associated with major sporting events. The Act applies to the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022 and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Women's World Cup Australia New Zealand 2023, and designates the relevant event bodies responsible for these events. The Minister for Home Affairs can make rules prescribing bodies for the purposes of a Schedule to the Act that covers a major sporting event, and the Act allows for the protection of expressions that suggest a connection with these events. The geographic reach of the Act is national, as it applies to major sporting events occurring within Australia. The Act extends its application through subordinate instruments, specifically rules made by the Minister for Home Affairs, which can prescribe additional event bodies and further define protected indicia and images. The Act commenced on 4 November 2021, the day after receiving Royal Assent. The Act also amends the Sport Integrity Australia Act 2020 by updating a reference within the definition of ineligibility.

Key Provisions

The Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2021 (the "Act") amends the Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Act 2014 (the "Principal Act") and the Sport Integrity Australia Act 2020. The Act introduces significant changes to the definition of "event body" in section 9 of the Principal Act, allowing for bodies to be prescribed by rules made for the purposes of a Schedule to the Act. This change is particularly relevant for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022 and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Women's World Cup Australia New Zealand 2023, which are now covered by new Schedules attached to the Principal Act. These Schedules specify the authorising bodies, event bodies, protected indicia, and the duration of protection for the respective sporting events. The Act also updates the definition of "ineligibility" in the Sport Integrity Australia Act 2020. Under the amended Principal Act, the Minister is required to ensure that rules are made in relation to the definition of "event body" when requested by the authorising body for a major sporting event and when the Minister is satisfied of certain conditions, such as a delay in the establishment of the body or a change of name. The obligations imposed on the parties governed by the Act include compliance with the rules prescribed by the Minister and adherence to the provisions of the amended Schedules, particularly concerning the use of protected indicia and images related to the specified sporting events. Breaches of the Act may result in various consequences depending on the nature and severity of the violation. For example, unauthorised use of protected indicia or images could lead to civil liability for damages or an injunction to prevent further infringement. The Act does not explicitly state maximum penalties for breaches, but penalties could potentially include fines or other sanctions as prescribed by the relevant laws. The Act's provisions aim to protect the integrity and commercial value of major sporting events by ensuring that their indicia and images are not misused or misrepresented.

Area of Law: Intellectual Property Law; Sports Law
Instrument: Act
Concepts: Definitions & Interpretation; Commencement Provisions; Protected Indicia; Regulatory Standards

Interactions

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.

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