From Deva Rajagopal

TORONTO, June 15 (Reuters Sports Service) - A Toronto cannabis shop on Monday morning dumped its unlicensed smoking devices, dubbed "FIFA Pong," after receiving a legal warning from FIFA, but the shop's owners are still soaring high thanks to the sudden notoriety their obscure establishment has gained in the past two days due to their dispute with one of the world's biggest sports entities.

Last Friday, Cosmic Charlie's, a store on Queen Street in Toronto, received a legal warning from FIFA for selling a cannabis smoking device shaped like the World Cup trophy. The "FIFA Pong" device was sold for 50 Canadian dollars (36 US dollars) to a single, unidentified customer, after which the store received a copyright infringement notice from FIFA's lawyers.

The legal notice issued by the law firm Lipcos Law, which represents FIFA in Canada, stated, "Our client has become aware that you are advertising or selling products bearing the FIFA trademark."

The official communications surprised the store owners, brothers Sean Cuddy (38) and Charles Cuddy (34). They had stockpiled the smoking devices to sell during celebrations related to the World Cup, which Canada was co-hosting with Mexico and the United States.

Canada was the first country in North America to legalize recreational cannabis and allow its sale through retail stores. In the United States, cannabis consumption remains illegal at the federal level, although 24 states have legalized it. In Mexico, personal use is legal, but retail sale is illegal.

"So we thought there was an opportunity to portray Canada as a leader in cannabis tourism," said Shawn Cuddy, speaking about the silicone "ponge" he smashed with a hammer and scissors. "And we thought this would be another reason to attract football fans and FIFA fans."

He added, "The cost of breaking one pong ball would never have been enough to buy all the publicity we got just for showing this thing for a short time. I never expected the video to go viral, of course, just for showing this thing. And I will never forget the time FIFA gave me a red card."

(US$1 = 1.3981 Canadian dollars)