Michael Jordan Says Trademark Lawsuit Accepted In China

Michael Jordan has found a Chinese court that will play ball with his trademark lawsuit, after all.

The NBA hall of famer says his suit against Chinese sporting goods company Qiaodan has been accepted in China, contrary to earlier reports. Jordan last week accused the company of misleading consumers into thinking he had authorized its products.

The former Chicago Bull again explained the reasoning behind the lawsuit in a press release and on his website, TheRealJordan.com.

"I am taking this action to preserve the ownership of my name and my brand," he wrote. "No one should lose control of their own name, and the acceptance of my case shows that China recognizes that this is true for everyone. After all, what's more personal than your name?"

"Qiaodan" is the transliteration of "Jordan," and the company also has used Jordan's No. 23 on its apparel. A 2009 survey indicated that 90 percent of customers believed the brand was affiliated with Jordan, The China Times reports.

A spokeswoman for the Brunswick Group, the media liaison for Jordan's legal team, confirmed Thursday the lawsuit has been accepted. She also said Jordan's lawyers would not comment on which court accepted it.

Reports yesterday and early this morning circulated that a Beijing court had rejected the suit, but this wouldn't be the first comeback for the NBA Hall of Famer. Jordan retired three times over the course of his storied NBA career.

Jun He Law Offices and Fangda Partners are working together to represent Jordan in China.