SAUDI ARABIA

Saudi Arabia welcomes FIFA move on beoutQ; calls for alternative to beIN in MENA

July 12, 2018
MOM
MOM

JEDDAH – The Ministry of Media welcomed Thursday’s announcement by the International Football Federation (FIFA) that it has engaged local counsel to take legal action in Saudi Arabia to combat the pirate entity named beoutQ, which continues its illegal piracy of 2018 FIFA World Cup broadcasts, according to an official statement, carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

It added, “Doing so will supplement the relentless efforts by the Saudi Ministry of Commerce and Investment in combatting beoutQ’s activities and beIN’s illegal broadcasting within the country. These efforts and others reinforce the government of Saudi Arabia’s dedication to protecting intellectual property (IP) rights within Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

The ministry said: “While beoutQ’s pirate broadcasts have been available in KSA, we understand that its set-top boxes are also available in, and its pirate broadcasts are targeted at, other nations in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA), including Qatar and Eastern Europe. Nevertheless, irresponsible media reports have falsely and unfairly connected KSA with beoutQ’s piracy.”

The Ministry of Media understands that such false and unfair connections are the work of beIN Sports, a subsidiary of the Al Jazeera Media Network (Al Jazeera), that has maliciously orchestrated a media smear campaign against KSA. beIN Sports purports to be the exclusive licensee of FIFA and other content owners for KSA and other other MENA region countries.

The KSA banned Al Jazeera because it is Qatar’s principal media arm for supporting terrorism and promoting instability in the region. Its network provides a media platform for terrorists to propagate their violent message. KSA was compelled to ban broadcasts by beIN Sports in KSA for the same reason and for beIN’s numerous legal violations in the Kingdom. The ministry also drew attention to its earlier press release at https://cic.org.sa/2018/06/statement-by-the-ministry-of-media-kingdom-of-saudi-arabia/.

The ministry further believes that beIN Sports engineered its media smear campaign against KSA to deflect attention away from scandals and threats that beIN Sports now faces.

For example, beIN Sports — along with its Chairman and President Nasser Al-Khelaifi, and FIFA former Secretary General Jerome Valcke — is a subject of an ongoing criminal bribery, fraud, criminal mismanagement and forgery investigation instigated by the Office of Attorney General in Switzerland.

The alleged criminal activity relates to FIFA’s award of media rights for certain countries for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups. Further, although beIN Sports claims to employ state-of-the-art anti-piracy technology, beoutQ’s ability to overcome such technology with ease provides motivation for beIN Sports to seek others to blame, rather than taking responsibility for its own technological shortcoming.”

Saudi Arabia reiterated, in the statement, its calls to “FIFA (and other rights holders) to distance themselves from beIN Sports and find alternative licensees for broadcasting sports in MENA. In KSA at least, Al Jazeera, beIN Sports and their affiliates will never be permitted to broadcast again.”

“KSA is governed by, and observes and respects the rule of law. If FIFA has legitimate claims supported by reliable evidence, it can expect to receive justice at the hands of the independent courts of our nation consistent with KSA law,” the statement added.

Saudi Arabia reiterates that it is fighting all aspects of piracy, including beoutQ piracy, and won’t accept any violations of intellectual property rights or copyright. The Kingdom emphasized that it banned Al Jazeera because it is Qatar’s principal media arm for supporting terrorism and promoting instability in the region. Riyadh rejected irresponsible accusations based on Qatar’s politically motivated claims.

The Kingdom emphasized that the move of FIFA is complement to its efforts in the fight against the activities of beoutQ and the illegal broadcasting of beIn Sport within the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia says it has been forced to ban beIN Sport on its territory for serious legal irregularities in the Kingdom. There are evidences to show that beIN Sport, its board of directors and CEO are involved in criminal bribery, fraud, mismanagement and forgery cases related to the granting of media rights to the World Cup.— SG/SPA


July 12, 2018
5665 views
HIGHLIGHTS
SAUDI ARABIA
7 minutes ago

Saudi Arabia is guest of honor at Beijing International Book Fair

SAUDI ARABIA
13 hours ago

Saudi Arabia chosen to chair UN Committee on the Status of Women in 2025

SAUDI ARABIA
14 hours ago

Car agents directed to receive only a portion of price as deposit while booking cars