Mads Pedersen leads lawsuit against HBO Max over image rights

Danish cyclist Mads Pedersen is among 12 athletes suing HBO Nordic, the operator of the streaming service HBO Max, for using their images in a commercial context without consent. The legal action, heard in the Maritime and Commercial High Court, centers on images used during the 2024 Olympic Games across websites, social media, and physical advertising in Copenhagen.

Pedersen testified via video link that the unauthorized use of his likeness is commercially damaging, stating, “It is difficult to sell my name and image to others if they are used for free.” He argues the images were used to promote a product rather than for purely editorial reporting.

The group of plaintiffs includes athletes from handball, badminton, cycling, and golf. They are seeking compensation of approximately 6,690 euros for each instance an image was used. Pedersen is specifically claiming roughly 20,070 euros. HBO Max disputes the claims, arguing that the images fall under an editorial context related to sporting events.