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A martial arts enthusiast pulls a vehicle with a rope connected to his eye sockets during a performance in Hefei, Anhui province November 30, 2009. Picture taken November 30, 2009. REUTERS/China Daily

Pictures of the year: Oddly

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    Soccer stars win sex toy suit

    BERLIN
    Mon May 14, 2007 8:58am EDT
    Bayern Munich goalkeeper Oliver Kahn and former team mate Michael Ballack (R) seen in this file photo in Kaiserslautern, May 6, 2006. German sex shop chain Beate Uhse must pay Ballack and Kahn 50,000 euros (34,000 pounds) each for using their names for vibrators without permission, the company said on Monday. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

    BERLIN (Reuters) - German sex shop chain Beate Uhse must pay German soccer stars Michael Ballack and Oliver Kahn 50,000 euros ($67,380) each for using their names for vibrators without permission, the company said Monday.

    Oddly Enough

    The company had marketed the sex toys, dubbed "Michael B." and "Olli K.," before Germany hosted the World Cup in 2006.

    Although the surnames of the two German soccer stars were not used, it was clear they referred to Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack and Bayern Munich goalkeeper Oliver Kahn.

    Kahn and national team captain Ballack sued Beate Uhse in court for unauthorized use of their names and won.

    "The products have been withdrawn," the spokeswoman said. "We have to pay 50,000 euros to each of them."
    Oddly Enough


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