Two companies sparred Friday over whether organizers sent journalists down a ski slope in a knock-off – and less safe – Zorb this week and over who has rights to the Zorb name.

Craig Horrocks, CEO of Zorb Limited in New Zealand, the inventors of the inflatable device, said his company’s lawyers had already issued a cease-and-desist order to Zorb New England before it heard about Thursday’s accident, in which a Sun Journal reporter suffered a back fracture.

Zorb New England co-manager Jeremy Coito acknowledged that his company is not associated with Zorb Ltd., but said “Zorbing is a generic trademark, a sport” and that he is within rights to use its name.

“We can’t say that we have a Zorb-brand ball,” Coito said. “Our legal department has gone back and forth with (Zorb Ltd.). We’re not trying to get one over on them.”

Horrocks, in an e-mail, said the company has had issues with “rogue and fake operators.” His Zorb operations are based at a permanent site; they don’t travel. He said it took millions of dollars and two years to build the single site in the United States, in Tennessee, to make sure it was a safe experience.

“As can be seen from our safety code, we do not have our devices bouncing in the air,” Horrocks said. “Common sense would tell any operator that allowing that to happen is just plain gross negligence.”

Official Zorb balls are handmade in New Zealand with technology other balls don’t have, according to a spokeswoman.

Coito said his company gets its spheres from the same manufacturer as Zorb Ltd. and Spheremania, as well as customized spheres from a manufacturer in China.