Roy Keane and Paddy Power Settle Lawsuit Over Shameful Braveheart Advertisement
Former Manchester United and Republic of Ireland midfielder Roy Keane's lawsuit against Paddy Power has been resolved, although the terms of the settlement are been kept confidential by both parties.
Keane was angered by Paddy Power using his face on a billboard on the side of a 40-foot truck that was driven around Dublin before Republic of Ireland’s clash with Scotland in a European Championships 2016 qualifier match. The advertisement featured Keane’s face in a mock-up of the 1995 blockbuster Braveheart and had the wording: “You may take our points, but at least we have our freedom. (Ya wee Pussies).”
Now the assistant manager of the Republic of Ireland national football team, Keane once spent time in Scotland playing for Celtic, who he made 10 appearances for and scored one goal, which is why he claimed the message on the billboard endangered and harmed his connection with Scotland.
Keane claimed damages, including aggravated damages for using his image without his prior knowledge or consent. The Commercial Court heard Keane say the use of his image in the controversial advert gave the public the impression there is a connection between Paddy power and himself, and that his constitutional rights were breached.
Mr Justice Brian McGovern ruled on December 18 that the high-profile dispute had been resolved to the satisfaction of both parties and that no further action was needed. However, details of the settlement were not revealed, although they could appear in Paddy Powers end-of-year financial statements due later this month.
It is highly unlikely that this latest PR stunt failure will stop Paddy Power from similar schemes in the future. The Irish bookmaking giant has a reputation for producing adverts and social media content that is controversial in its nature, in fact it is almost expected from the betting community for Paddy Power to make a mockery of any current sporting topic.
Lead image courtesy of the BBC
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