MOSCOW, January 31(RAPSI) – The Intellectual Property Court (IP Court) has upheld a ruling of Russia’s Patent Agency (Rospatent) cancelling legal protection of TopGear trademark, according to court records.

The court has therefore dismissed an appeal filed the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) against the agency’s a ruling issued in favor of Russian businessman Azamat Ibatullin.

On March 30, the agency granted Ibatullin’s request. According to the applicant, the trademark of BBC is confusingly similar to the TopGear one registered in his name. Moreover, the economic classification of goods in these two cases is identical. Rospatent ruled in favor of the entrepreneur.

TopGear, a famous motorizing TV show, was launched in Great Britain in 1977. Today, BBC Two channel broadcasts it in Great Britain.