Permanent Injunction Granted to USA Weightlifting Inc., Enjoining Use of Protected Marks

A New York federal court has issued a permanent injunction in favor of USA Weightlifting following its March ruling that USA Masters Weightlifting, Inc. infringed multiple federally registered trademarks, including “USA WEIGHTLIFTING” and “USA MASTERS WEIGHTLIFTING.” The court found that USA Masters, an organization that was started by members who were originally part of USA Weightlifting, engaged in continued infringement, cybersquatting, and bad‑faith conduct, and ordered it to cease all use of the disputed marks, transfer domain names, and destroy unauthorized materials. 

Finnegan partner and trademark practice leader Naresh Kilaru provided commentary on the significance of the ruling. 

"The case is not an outlier but is notable for a combination of factors that made injunctive relief relatively straightforward," he said. "USA Weightlifting had federally registered marks, the breakaway group used identical or near-identical marks and trade channels, and the record supported findings of likelihood of confusion, actual confusion, and bad faith—including what the court characterized as ‘slavish copying.’"

Naresh also highlighted the broader implications beyond sports governance, noting that the scope of the decision is not limited to sports governing bodies. "Rather, it reflects a broader trend after the Trademark Modernization Act of 2020 where courts apply a rebuttable presumption of irreparable harm once trademark infringement is established, making permanent injunctive relief a very realistic remedy." 

Discussing the decision’s relevance to similar disputes, he added, "The analytical framework for injunctive relief is one that can apply in many trademark disputes involving breakaway groups, affiliates, or former committees. More broadly, the decision sends a message to sport’s governing bodies that breakaway groups using the same or similar name as the official organization will not be tolerated under trademark law.” 

On the injunction’s practical impact for athletes and organizers, Naresh explained, "The injunction is aimed at reducing confusion for athletes and organizers by ensuring that 'USA Weightlifting' and 'USA Masters Weightlifting' branding is used only by the official organization. The order also requires the breakaway group to stop using and transfer control of the contested domains and to destroy unauthorized materials bearing the marks, which should further limit ongoing confusion of participants seeking official masters programming." 

He further clarified that the ruling does not restrict athlete participation. "From a competitive standpoint, the injunction does not prevent masters-aged athletes from competing. Rather, it restricts a particular organization’s ability to do so under branding that the court found likely to confuse consumers," he said. 

Naresh also pointed out that monetary relief remains on the table: "While most trademark cases are about obtaining an injunction and not pursuing money, monetary damages here are a real possibility given the statutory damages available under ACPA and the court’s finding of bad faith conduct."

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