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Tribune News Network
Doha
NBCUniversal has said its broadcast of 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia matches have been illegally distributed in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) by a pirate broadcast satellite delivered service that goes under the name 'BeoutQ.'
NBC's Telemundo unit, which holds the Spanish-language rights to the 2018 World Cup in the US, made the accusation on Monday in a statement emailed to Bloomberg.
"We take intellectual property infringement seriously," the company said, adding that it is working closely with FIFA to protect its rights.
"The leading broadcaster of sports and entertainment in MENA, beIN has become a target for interference in the region, where state and non-state actors have undertaken a massive piracy effort that is aimed at undermining the broadcast of premier events such as the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018," a report in Bloomberg said.
"Telemundo is not the first to complain. Qatari sports network beIN, a major rights holder in the Middle East and North Africa, has for months accused BeoutQ of copying its streams in Saudi Arabia. UK-based Eleven Sports also said on Monday that its live rights, which don't include the World Cup, have been pirated by BeoutQ," it added
"This unauthorised streaming of Eleven Sports' services seriously infringes our intellectual property rights," a company spokesperson said in an email."We are looking into this issue and we will take the appropriate course of action."
FIFA has refuted the illegal acts by a pirate channel, named BeoutQ, according to a statement issued last week.
Recently, The Conf`d`ration Africaine de Football (CAF) issued a statement condemning the same organisation, for piracy operations against beIN Media Group.
