Sun International Wins UDRP Case, Reclaims SunCityMarathon.com and .org Domains

Recently, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), under its Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP), ruled that the domain names SunCityMarathon.com and SunCityMarathon.org should be transferred to Sun International (South Africa) Limited, a well-known South African resort group.

The case stemmed from a complaint filed by Sun International with WIPO. The company accused South African individual Malu Yantumba of infringing on its trademark and brand rights related to "Sun City" by registering the two domain names in July 2025.

Sun International is a prominent South African tourism and entertainment group, operating the renowned Sun City Resort, which opened in 1979 with an investment exceeding US$1.4 billion. The "SUN CITY" trademark was registered in 1978.

The respondent argued that the term "Sun City" is not exclusive to South Africa and can refer to multiple regions in the United States named "Sun City," therefore its registration constitutes geographical use and is not malicious. However, the panel, after reviewing the case, pointed out that the respondent's residence is very close to the Sun City resort in South Africa and has no direct connection to any "Sun City" region in the United States. Furthermore, the investigation revealed that the respondent had contacted the complainant to discuss cooperation on organizing the "Sun City Marathon" event; however, after negotiations ended, the respondent retained the relevant domain name.

The panel concluded that, under these circumstances, registering a domain name directly related to the complainant's well-known resort clearly demonstrates an intent to exploit brand reputation. The word "marathon" in the domain name is closely related to the event name, further strengthening the association with the complainant's brand.

Ultimately, the panel ruled in favor of the complainant, ordering the transfer of SunCityMarathon.com and SunCityMarathon.org to Sun International.