Donuts and Famous Four Media will have to withdraw their applications for a new gTLD .rugby. The International Rugby Board filed a complaint. It stated that «these Applicants do not represent the global community of rugby players, supporters and stakeholders.” Having reviewed the arguments of the International Rugby Board, commission of International Chamber of Commerce decided to satisfy the claim.
Probably, this decision can be considered a fair one, however, there is another inconsistency in the outcome of the complaints. Earlier on, a very similar complaint was filed by International Basketball Federation against Donuts and Famous Four Media concerning domain .basketball. The complaint was not satisfied. At the same time a little earlier International Ski Federation filed a complaint against Donuts’ application for domain .ski. And International Chamber of Commerce commission obliged Donuts to withdraw its application.
In other words, it is rather hard to find logic in the decisions of International Chamber of Commerce experts. Observers, however, suppose that in rugby case a crucial role must have been played by the position of the UK government, voiced within the Governmental Advisory Committee of ICANN. Great Britain categorically opposed the very possibility of the domain .rugby belonging to some private company.
Considering a cult status of this sport on the British Isles and enormous prestige of Great Britain in the world rugby community, International Chamber of Commerce considered satisfying the complaint of the International Rugby Board a right thing to do.
