In the ongoing saga of Cristi Săpunaru’s image rights dispute with the Romanian Football Federation and Oshee România SRL, the former Rapid Bucharest defender has taken his case to the Higher Court of Appeal in Bucharest. The 42-year-old ex-international, who has been retired from professional football for over a year, is seeking to have the company’s products featuring his image withdrawn from the market.
Image Rights: A Complex Issue in Romanian Football
The conflict between Săpunaru and the two parties began after Oshee România SRL and the Romanian Football Federation signed a five-year sponsorship deal in the fall of 2024, making the energy drink company the official sponsor of the Romanian Cup. As part of the promotional campaign, several products featuring the images of prominent Cup players, including Săpunaru, were launched. However, Săpunaru claims that the products continued to be sold even after he retired from professional football in the summer of 2025, without his consent.
Double Action in Court
Săpunaru has initiated two separate lawsuits in court. The first seeks the withdrawal of all Oshee products featuring his image from the market, while the second aims to secure material damages for what he considers to be a breach of his right to his own image. The former Rapid defender believes that a brand is using his image without his consent and is seeking justice.
In a statement, the lawyer representing Săpunaru, Alexandra Niță Pascaru, said: “We are contesting the use of Săpunaru’s image after the expiration of his contract with Rapid Bucharest. We have faith in the Romanian judicial system and believe that we will obtain a satisfactory solution in line with the applicable laws.”
High Stakes: Two Million Euros in Damages
In the first instance, the Bucharest Tribunal rejected Săpunaru’s claim and ordered him to pay the company Oshee a sum of 5,000 lei (approximately 1,000 euros) as court costs, representing the lawyer’s fees. Săpunaru has since taken his case to the Higher Court of Appeal, seeking to have the verdict overturned. In a separate case, he is also seeking two million euros in damages from the Romanian Football Federation and Oshee România SRL.
The outcome of this case will have significant implications for Romanian football and the use of image rights in the sport. If Săpunaru succeeds in having the products featuring his image withdrawn from the market, it could set a precedent for other players in similar situations. Conversely, if the Higher Court of Appeal upholds the Tribunal’s decision, it could have far-reaching consequences for the use of image rights in Romanian football.
With the stakes high, the case is closely watched by the football community in Romania. As the matter continues to unfold, one thing is certain: Cristi Săpunaru is determined to protect his image rights and will stop at nothing to ensure that his likeness is not used without his consent.