论美国法下对运动员形象权的保护

On the Protection of Athletes' Right of Publicity under the USA Legal System

运动员对其身份进行商业化开发的权利称为形象权。对形象权进行保护有利于鼓励运动员提高运动水平,也有利于鼓励社会加大对体育运动的投入,从而提高全社会的体育水平。我国目前对形象权的保护仅仅局限于对肖像权的保护,而在美国法下,许多州承认对形象权的保护,对形象权的性质、客体和侵权构成要件等都有了较为明确的阐述,并创设了相关联使用检测法、转变性使用检测法和主要目的检测法等方法以在形象权保护与言论和新闻自由之间寻求平衡点。美国法下对形象权保护的原则、规定和方法,无论在立法层面还是司法层面,对我国加强运动员形象权保护的法制建设都有启示意义。

It is important to protect the commercial exploitation of the athletes＇ identity, namely the right of publicity, for the purpose of raising the incentive of athletes to make more efforts in their sports and allocating more money to the sports industry from the social resources. So far, only the use of photos and likeness are restricted by law for commercial purpose in China. However, under the legal system of the United States, the right of publicity is protected comprehensively and a number of tests are developed to make a balance between the right of publicity and right of free speech and press fostered by the First Constitutional Amendment. The American law may place significant insights on our consideration for the legal protection of the athletes＇ right of publicity.