Hi everyone, ready for a can-o-worms???

I don't know if you have been aware of this but over the past few months there has been a dispute for some VERY important domain names (URls, internet addresses) regarding the possible Olympic games in Madrid for 2012.

Well, my attention was drawn to this by quite a few cross board members on my site and the site of the individual who was holding the conflict domains in question.

Well, not sure what you all think of the practice of "Domain Squating" (registering domains for commercial gain that other people have legitimate claims over) but the decision has been made (and made well) by the "WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center".

It is long and at times technical document but you can read all about it at http://arbiter.wipo.int/domains/decisions/html/2003/d2003-0598.html

Many of you may know that I used to own the 2M12.org domain (see THIS thread for more) and I had even designed a logo for it...



Well, long ago I was approached by the Madrid Nuevo Siglo folks (organizers for the games in 2012 if they should come to Madrid) and asked to have it transferred to them in the best interest of the 2012 games coming to Madrid. Well, not wanting to get into paperwork, I said I wou not transfer it but would let it lapse, which I did.

I think that justice has been done here with the madrid2012.com, 2m12.com, 2m12.info, 2m12.org URLs.

After all, the important thing is that they serve Madrid in it's Olympic bid and that is done by having them lead visitors to the official organizer's site for the possible 2012 Madrid games.

Saludos,
jer...

Well, I find that very interesting, and I'm glad you pointed it out Jer. I sometimes look at MadridMan's website (though not nearly as frequently as I visit multimadrid ) so was aware of the situation. I was curious as to what the end result would be.

Like you Jer, I agree with this decision. I am very much against the practice of domain squatting. I obviously don't know enough to say for sure whether that's what MadridMan was doing, but it certainly looks that way to me given what I have seen.

As Jer said, the most important thing should be promoting Madrid's bid for the Olympics in 2012.

Anne

This case was decided before it went to arbitration. The findings of the WIPO panel are correct and logical.

If I were to register the domain �realmadrid.com,� and provide information on a site about the football team, this would still be �domain squatting� as I clearly know visitors would be looking for an official site at that address, as convention is that a corporation or organization is found via [name].com/org/net.

Whether or not there were good intentions behind the registration of the domains in question is not really relevant.

-L

PD: I would never register any site about Real Madrid, I cannot stand them! Uy! And I think Sevilla should have been the candidate for the Olympics! Pua!

PPD: �Visca Espanyol! �Viva colistas!

Yes Asterault, I agree as would anyone who knows anything about these matters but unfortunately, there are a lot of ignorant people out there.

If one reads the thread on the "other" message board about the domains in question, it is MEGA depressing to see the blind support of this evident domain squatting by board members, pleeeeeaaaassssseee

Here is the link to the article from El Mundo on this --> http://www.elmundo.es/navegante/2003/10/16/esociedad/1066319568.html (in Spanish).

If one reads the WIPO ruling, one can see that one of the major problems was that the owner of the domains lied in trying to say his website was "non-commercial".

It may not be a major commercial site but WIPO was able to see through it all and realized that the many "affiliate programs", ad banners, merchandise for sale, etc... do generate earnings and hence it IS a commercial site.

Pretty obvious!!!

I recognize the fact that multimadrid is commercial although it may only make enough to cover my expenses and a few "whims" like gadgets and PC equipment.

Saludos,
jer...