The Canadian Olympic Committee will drop its opposition to a trademark application made by a gay men’s chat line.
Interactive Male, which calls itself North America’s largest chat line for gay and bisexual men, said in a news release Tuesday it has been trying since March 2005 to file an application with the Canadian Trademark Office.
The application has been challenged by the COC on the grounds that the gay men’s chat line logo resembles Olympic sporting event symbols used in the 1970s.
Chris Rudge, the COC’s chief executive officer, said it was a case that had slipped between the cracks.
“Upon looking at the image that this organization has on its website, I would agree with them it would be absurd for us to be protesting this,” Rudge said in a telephone interview.
Joe Rachert, senior manager for promotions and public relations with Interactive Male, was thrilled by the news.
“We have invested huge in this for five years,” Rachert said. “The idea of having to rebrand and recommunicate with your audience, [we have] no desire to do that.
“I am tickled pink over the whole thing.”
