Turkiye’s Olympic shooter Yusuf Dikec trademarks viral stance
Turkiye’s Olympic pistol sharpshooter Yusuf Dikec has filed to trademark his nonchalant stance, which gained worldwide attention at the Paris Games, according to his coach, Erdinc Bilgili, who spoke to AFP on Monday.
Bilgili explained that the decision to secure the commercial rights to Dikec’s iconic pose with the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office was prompted by others attempting to trademark it without Dikec’s consent.
“After being informed of numerous trademark registration initiatives carried out without Yusuf Dikec’s knowledge, we submitted an application about a week ago,” Bilgili told AFP, noting that the “other applications have been rejected.”
Dikec’s calm demeanour sparked a wave of online memes, with some comparing him to the fictional spy James Bond. Even Tesla founder Elon Musk joined in, sharing a video of himself mimicking the stance.
Since Dikec won silver, Turkiye’s first medal in the mixed-team 10m air pistol alongside teammate Sevval Ilayda Tarhan, his pose has been widely imitated by fellow athletes. Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson also mimicked it while celebrating his goal against Crystal Palace in the English Premier League on Sunday.
According to Turkish news channel TRT Haber, various items featuring Dikec’s likeness, such as T-shirts, mugs, and phone covers, have gone on sale. The Turkish trademark office did not immediately respond to AFP’s request for comment.
In an early August interview with AFP, Dikec explained the reason behind his hand-in-pocket technique: “I only do it to keep my body more stable, to keep my balance. There’s nothing more to it,” he said.