The SPORT & IP Forum took place in Kyiv – an event held as part of Ukrainian Intellectual Property Week (IP WEEK 2026), dedicated to the role of IP in the development of the modern sports industry.
The event was opened with welcoming speeches by:
From left to right: Serhiy Popyk, Olena Orliuk and Mykola Hora
During the opening, the speakers emphasized the importance of developing the sports sphere as a key driver of economic growth, the role of innovation and the necessity of effective intellectual property protection in the modern sports industry.
In his speech, Serhiy Popyk thanked UANIPIO for initiating the forum and emphasized the clear need for such an event within the sports community.
“We must do more than just train and compete. We must reform and change policies, approaches and visions regarding the development of sports and physical activity among Ukrainians,” the speaker noted.
According to him, coaches, specialists and sports scientists must change, improve and modernize training processes and methods. And this means that everyone who shapes and represents the modern Ukrainian sports environment must implement innovations.
Serhiy Popyk
“We believe that innovation in sports today represents our country’s intellectual capital, which requires reliable protection and effective commercialization. Experts are well aware that Ukraine already possesses and demonstrates unique examples globally,” emphasized Serhiy Popyk.
The First Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine spoke about some successful innovation cases:
Serhiy Popyk also spoke about the creation in July 2025 of the “OlympicLab” science park – a scientific and research hub intended to serve as a driver of innovation in Ukrainian sports.
“I would also like to mention another task of our Ministry: we must create conditions under which innovative sports startups and sports organizations will feel protected.
Integrity in sports, protection of broadcasting rights, the fight against piracy and the development of sports marketing – these are the foundations upon which we must build a financially independent and professional Ukrainian sports sector,” emphasized the First Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine.
The speaker expressed hope for cooperation and mutual support in creating a transparent and protected market for intellectual property related to sports or relevant to sports activities. He also wished the participants interesting discussions, debates and insights for implementing innovations that will make Ukrainian sports even more technologically advanced and competitive.
Mykola Hora expressed his gratitude to UANIPIO for organizing the forum and emphasized the importance of paying systematic attention to IP issues across various sectors of the economy, particularly in the field of sports.
Mykola Hora
The speaker emphasized that the intellectual property sphere is one of the most sensitive and high-priority areas for the European Union within the framework of the negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the EU.
“It is extremely important for European partners to understand the extent to which issues related to the protection of intellectual property rights – copyright and related rights, trademarks and patents – are regulated in Ukraine. This is one of the areas they are monitoring very closely,” noted Mykola Hora.
He also emphasized that in terms of the pace of implementing European legislation, the intellectual property sphere in Ukraine is currently among the most progressive directions:
“The intellectual property sphere is currently one of the leaders in terms of implementation pace among all areas of the negotiation process with the European Union.”
Mykola Hora also noted that the intellectual property sphere plays a key role in the development of the modern sports industry within the context of EU legislation, as it is precisely this sphere that turns sports from a simple physical activity into a powerful economic sector. In particular, this concerns the legal regulation of sports event broadcasts, digital content, online services and the commercial use of sports brands.
“In the EU legal system, intellectual property is not merely a legal tool, but the foundation of the sports economy,” emphasized Mykola Hora.
The speaker wished the forum participants a substantive discussion and urged the professional community to participate in shaping future decisions and proposals in the IP sphere.
In her opening remarks, Olena Orliuk thanked the event participants, speakers and forum partners, emphasizing that the event program was structured in such a way as to give the floor first and foremost to practitioners – representatives of the sports industry, business and athletes.
Olena Orliuk
According to the Director of the IP Office, the main goal of the forum is to show how intellectual property tools can contribute to the development of the sports industry, support Ukrainian athletes and strengthen Ukraine’s brand globally.
“We want to be the partner who is happy to share knowledge and advice and help strengthen Ukrainian sports through intellectual property,” emphasized Olena Orliuk.
She also emphasized that the SPORT & IP Forum is a key event within IP WEEK 2026, but interaction with the sports community will not be limited to this thematic week and will continue in the future.
The Director of UANIPIO paid special attention to global economic trends. According to her, in the modern world, it is precisely intangible assets that are becoming increasingly valuable, with intellectual property playing a leading role among them:
“We live in a society where intellectual property will play an increasingly important role. Ukraine’s main task is to learn how to work with it effectively.”
Olena Orliuk also emphasized that working with IP should become not only a tool for large businesses, but an accessible opportunity for a wide range of creators, innovators, entrepreneurs and representatives of various industries.
She emphasized that Ukraine is an extremely creative nation and its significant potential for innovation is currently evident, in particular, in the national security and defense spheres. In the future, many of these solutions may also find application in civilian sectors, including sports.
The Director of UANIPIO also highlighted the strength and resilience of Ukrainian athletes, who, even under conditions of war, continue to represent the country on the international stage and achieve victories.
Olena Orliuk urged the sports community to view UANIPIO as a partner open to cooperation and to actively utilize the institution’s expertise, platforms and opportunities to develop their own projects.
You can watch the SPORT & IP Forum broadcast on the IP Office’s YouTube channel:
The forum also included a video message from Daren Tang, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), who was appointed to this position on April 21, 2026, for a second six-year term.
In his video message, Daren Tang emphasized, in particular, that intellectual property helps athletes surpass their own records, fans get closer to their favorite teams and sports companies confidently invest in new equipment, systems and ideas.
Watch the full video message at the link.
Daren Tang
For more details about the forum, see the event program.
For reference:
The SPORT & IP Forum is a platform for professional dialogue among representatives of government institutions, the sports industry, innovators, lawyers and athletes on how intellectual property influences the development of sports: from brand and technology creation to rights protection and the commercialization of innovations. The forum aims to develop practical approaches to the use of IP in the sports industry and to encourage cross-sectoral collaboration.
The forum was organized by the Ukrainian National Office for Intellectual Property and Innovations (UANIPIO/IP Office) under the auspices of the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine (Ministry of Economy) with the support of the Ukrainian Bar Association (UBA) on the occasion of World Intellectual Property Day (World IP Day), celebrated on April 26.
This year, the World Intellectual Property Organization dedicated the Day to the theme of sports – “IP and Sports: Ready, Set, Innovate.”
The Ukrainian interpretation of the global theme – “IP and Sports: Create, Protect, Win” – emphasizes the full cycle of intellectual property work in the sports sphere: from the birth of an idea to the legal protection of its implementation and commercial success.
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