Organisers of the biggest football league in the World, the English Premier League, EPL have accused Saudi Arabia of piracy involving the illegal broadcast of EPL matches across the middle-east.
The EPL have pointed fingers at a Saudi-owned satellite television accusing it of being part of a sophisticated piracy operation involving the illegal broadcast of football matches across the Middle East and North Africa.
According to the organizers of the EPL, massive evidence have revealed that Saudi-based Arabsat satellite operator allowed pirate channel beoutQ to use its services while broadcasting all Premier League matches played since the start of the new season on August 10.
“The Premier League strongly condemns the illegal broadcast piracy of its matches currently taking place in Saudi Arabia and available in multiple territories throughout the Middle East by an illegal pirate channel called ‘beoutQ’,” the EPL said in a statement
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Qatar-based beIN Sports holds the legal rights for the broadcast of all Premier League fixtures across the Middle East and North Africa, having recently extended its exclusive agreement until 2021-2022.
Organisers of the EPL say they have taken several steps to address the serious issue of piracy, including the appointment of legal counsel in Saudi Arabia as well as a complaint issued to the European Commission.
“Like all content creators and rights owners, our business model is predicated on the ability to market and sell protected rights, and we will take all available action to support the investment made in the league by our legitimate broadcast partners.”
Qatari based BeIN have also pointed accusing fingers at the Saudi-based pirate channel beautQ accusing it of orchestrating a plague of piracy on world sport for the last one year including the illegal broadcast of every game during the recent FIFA World Cup in Russia.
According to the Qatari Network;
“Since August 2017, beoutQ has been stealing the broadcast feed of some of the most internationally renowned sports brands and rights holders in the world, pirating everything from the Olympic Games, Formula 1 and Wimbledon tennis, to the UEFA Champions League, the English Premier League and LaLiga.”
BeIN had called on FIFA to launch legal action against Arabsat and Saudi-based pirate broadcasters back in May.