PORTUGAL: CONTROVERSY SURROUNDS LAUNCH OF HOST NATION PORTUGAL'S MASCOT FOR 2004 EUROPEAN SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP

Record ID: 649235

  • Title: PORTUGAL: CONTROVERSY SURROUNDS LAUNCH OF HOST NATION PORTUGAL'S MASCOT FOR 2004 EUROPEAN SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP
  • Date: 30th March 2003
  • Summary: OPORTO, PORTUGAL (MARCH 30 2003) (REUTERS) 1. OFFICIAL CLIP SHOWING MASCOT KINAS PRESENTED ON BIG SCREEN 2. KINAS GETS INTO STAGE 3. KINAS NAME ON BIG SCREEN 4. KINAS INVITES CHILDREN TO ARTIFICIAL PITCH ON STAGE 5. EURO 2004 LOGO 6. VETERAN STRIKER AND EURO 2004 AMBASSADOR EUSEBIO WHO LED PORTUGAL TO THIRD PLACE IN THE 1966 WORLD CUP SCORING AGAINST BOY IN GOAL 7. PICTURE CHILD 8. EUSEBIO SHOOTS AGAIN AGAINST SAME BOY WHO NOW SAVES HIS SHOT/THEY SHAKE HANDS 9. CHILDREN AND KINAS KICKING AT GOAL 10. CLIP 11. EUSEBIO AND EURO 2004 AMBASSADOR EUSEBIO WHO LED PORTUGAL TO THIRD PLACE IN THE 1966 WORLD CUP FINAL POSING WITH CHILDREN 12. CLIP SHOWS KINAS LIFTING TROPHY/EUR0 2004 LOGO Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 14th April 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: OPORTO, PORTUGAL
  • Country: Portugal
  • Reuters ID: LVADGDH4C5AVCIZ2X4GXIUEF3PTZ
  • Story Text: Controversy surrounded the launch of the mascot for the
    2004 European soccer championship in the host nation Portugal.


    The 2004 European soccer championship mascot Kinas was
    launched on Saturday (March 29) in Oporto but immediately
    sparked a row between organisers and Swedish Match over a
    brand with almost the same name.

    The Swedish company has had a match brand in Portugal
    called Quinas for almost a century.

    The brand name is pronounced the same as Kinas, the tournament's
    new pointy-nosed, four-fingered mascot.

    Organisers of the tournament run by the European soccer
    governing body UEFA said Swedish Match had been in talks with
    Euro 2004 officials to try to resolve any trademark questions.

    They added lawyers will try to find an agreement if
    necessary.

    For the time being Euro 2004 would not put the name Kinas
    on its T-shirts, as that was the area where Swedish Match had
    registered its name, Kallen said.

    Quinas is the name for the five shields on Portugal's
    national flag and is a nickname for the national squad. It is
    also similar to traquinas, a Portuguese term for a mischievous
    child.

    Veteran striker and Euro 2004 ambassador Eusebio joined the
    presentation and showed his skills to a group of children also
    invited for the party.

    The 61 year-old, born in Momzambique, led Portugal to
    third place in the 1966 World Cup in England and was also the
    tournament's top scorer with nine goals.


  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register