PV Sindhu to send notices to 15 companies for using her name, image without permission in ads

According to a Money Control report, Baseline Ventures that manages the portfolio of the two-time Olympic medal winner, is sending notices on her behalf to  PNB, SBI, Eureka Forbes, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Pan Bahar, Vodafone Idea, MG Motor, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Fino Payments Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, Indian Bank, Wipro Lighting, Happy Dent (Perfetti).

These companies had congratulated Sindhu for her victory at the Tokyo Olympics on social media with images that had her photo and name along with their logo.

According to the Money Control report, Yashwanth Biyyala, Director - Talent and Partnerships at Baseline Ventures, said, "It is damaging for a celebrity. But now the bigger problem is that International Olympic Committee (IOC)'s rule 40 stops Sindhu from endorsing any of her partners today."

He added, "Brands that are sponsoring Sindhu are unable to put congratulatory post for the athlete due to rule 40 of Olympic charter which says that brands cannot advertise without the consent of IOA (Indian Olympics Association)."

For this reason Sindhu could not thank her sponsors and also did not put up any posts for the same, the report said.

Biyyala said that such brands violate the player's individual rights, the report stated.

"This (sending notices to firms) is the start and we are building mechanisms. We are definitely not in the process of saying that we will just send a notice and leave it," Biyyala was quoted as saying by Money Control.