The Beijing Olympics Organizing Committee has announced on its website that the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) will retain the domain names for the Friendlies, the new Beijing 2008 Olympics mascots, and those who violate the rule to register or sell the domain names will be administratively punished or face legal quandries.

According to the Beijing Olympics Organizing Committee, illegally purchased domain names of the Olympics mascots will be used in two ways: one is to open a website, the other is to sell the names for profit.

The Beijing Olympics Organizing Committee says it will cooperate with relevant government departments to deal with the issue and punish those who break the law in this regard.

The general website addresses of the Friendlies were registered on the same day they are announced last week. There is no word yet on what plans the registrants have with these domain names.