Napoli celebrated Diego Armando Maradona by putting his face on some special kits last season, but they will no longer be able to do that. A judge rule in favor of the late footballer’s heirs in a lawsuit against local entrepreneur Stefano Ceci, La Repubblica informs.
The Partenopei had acquired from him the image rights of El Pipe de Oro. He had purchased from the legend a few months before his passing. Jorge Sebastian Borghetto, who represents the five children, won the legal battle, obtained €450k, and blocked any future unauthorized utilization of the pictures of the Argentine.
As per judge Paolo Andrea Vassallo in Naples, the contract between the team and the intermediary hurt the “patrimonial expectations” of the successors. He recognized the icon as a “planetary symbol, well-known and recognizable all over the world, whose economic value has sizeable and almost inestimable value.”
Napoli paid €23k to Ceci for the image of Maradona. The commercialization of the jersey raked in around €900k, as they quickly sold 6k items. The contract between the businessman and the late attacker stated that he had to give 50 percent of the earnings to the inheritors, which didn’t happen. They acted quickly once the club unveiled the initiative.
The judge added that the outfit acted in good faith and punished just the entrepreneur, deeming his behavior abusive and hurtful towards the interests of the children. He ordered to preventively seize €150k to reimburse them.
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