It would depend entirely in what context the term "International" or "worlds" etc, were used!
No one can "patent" any reference to a terminology that is a legitimate descriptive noun i.e. "the F16 formula catamarans are sailed in many countries around the world and as such the class is sailed internationally ergo if they all come together for a series of races they are sailing an international event, or by another descriptive noun “World title races”. But as I see the argument from the ISAF you can't call any race championships sailed by a class that isn’t fully affiliated with them "world titles" as they have taken unto themselves "ownership" of that type of event naming, What did they do – Patent a word? Are at least copyright it? Sounds a little suspect at the least. But they seem to be claiming more authority for themselves than they could defend in any court of law. If they "threaten" any one for calling any class that is undeniably "International" and that class has been accepted as that (international) well before the very existence of the ISAF, they may even be opening themselves up to having to seek “approval” from that preceding “international class to even use the term “world titles”? What happens when a class that has been affiliated with the ISAF and conducted their “worlds” with the approval of the ISAF and then relinquish their affiliation? Does that class suddenly become non-international? There is such a thing as "precedent" that even the ISAF cannot circumvent. Besides, the ISAF (or anyone else for that matter) can say anything that they like BUT until it has been challenge in a court of law and received validation by a decision given in their favour, then they are just hollow threats
(I think that I would like to “patent” and “copyright” the word “the”, then every time it is ever used I will receive a royalty for it’s use!!! What an easy way of getting rich quick, - so remember now everyone who uses my word “the” has to send me 2 cents every time they use it, thank you –and watch out for my lawyers)
