Saudi Arabia yesterday denied allegations by the governing bodies of world tennis that a television channel illegally showing matches is based in the kingdom.
The International Tennis Federation, ATP and other bodies on Thursday called for the “immediate closure of the illegal Saudi Arabian-based piracy operation ‘beoutQ’” for broadcasting tennis content across the Middle East and North Africa without the right to do so.
The statement was issued on the Web site of Wimbledon and followed similar complaints from FIFA, UEFA and Formula One.
“Wimbledon’s press release baselessly claims that beoutQ is based in Saudi Arabia and suggests that Saudi Arabia is somehow complicit in beoutQ’s broadcasts,” the Saudi Ministry of Culture and Information said in a statement.
Saudi Arabia had “relentlessly” combated beoutQ’s activities in the kingdom, it said, reiterating its commitment to protecting intellectual property rights.
BeoutQ could not be reached for comment. It is unclear who owns or operates the channel.
Global sports network beIN Sports holds the rights to broadcast major tennis tournaments and other sport events, including the FIFA World Cup, in the Middle East and North Africa.
BeIN is blocked in Saudi Arabia under a trade and diplomatic boycott imposed on Qatar a year ago.
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