Dubai: Saudi Arabia has firmly rejected claims that a streaming service distributing the World Cup football matches in the Middle East and North Africa was based in the kingdom.
“The Ministry of Information has become aware of irresponsible accusations made in a Union of European Football Associations (Uefa) press release regarding an entity known as beoutQ,” the ministry said in a statement.
“The ministry unequivocally rejects the Uefa baseless claims that beoutQ is based in Saudi Arabia. The ministry understands that beoutQ’s set-top boxes are available in many places, including Qatar and Eastern Europe. Moreover, UEFA’s irresponsible statement is contrary to what is occurring in the kingdom.”
Through its Ministry of Commerce and Investment, Saudi Arabia has relentlessly combated beoutQ’s activities within the country and has seized thousands of set-top boxes that would otherwise be used to violate intellectual property (IP) in the kingdom, the statement added, stressing that “the government of Saudi Arabia is and will remain devoted to protecting IP rights within the country.”
On Thursday, the Uefa reportedly said that “a pirate channel, named beoutQ based in Saudi Arabia” had also illegally distributed the World Cup matches as well as Uefa Champions League and Europa League club tournaments throughout the 2017-18 season.
The ministry said that Qatar’s beIN Sports, a subsidiary of the Al Jazeera Media Network, is the source of Uefa’s allegation.
“Saudi Arabia has banned Al Jazeera’s broadcasts in the kingdom starting in June 2017. Al Jazeera is Qatar’s principal media arm for supporting terrorism and promoting instability in the region. Al Jazeera provides a media platform for terrorists to propagate their violent message. Saudi Arabia has also banned broadcasts by beIN Sports in Saudi Arabia for the same reason.”
According to the ministry, Al Jazeera’s response to the ban was to escalate its campaign of defamation against Saudi Arabia.
“While beIN Sports’ broadcasts, too, have long been used as vehicles for offensive anti-Saudi invective, beIN Sports has amplified its offensive propaganda during the World Cup 2018 — which is ironic because the World Cup is supposed to be a demonstration of how football can bring nations together in harmony. During the World Cup, beIN has defamed the Saudi Football Federation, insulted Saudi Arabia as well as its fans and has politicised the World Cup platform in violation of all rules and codes of conduct. For these reasons Al Jazeera and subsidiary beIN will never broadcast in Saudi Arabia.”
The ministry added that “the reckless press release by Uefa, as well as beIN Sports’ other unsubstantiated allegations, should be viewed with suspicion.”
On Saturday, Saudi Arabia’s General Commission for Audiovisual Media refuted the allegations made by the Uefa statement about a pirated channel based in the kingdom, saying they were “baseless.”
The commission said that the Uefa claims suggested that Saudi Arabia did not protect property rights within its territory and called on the European football body “to immediately issue an apology and review its statement to rectify this allegation; and to inform media outlets that published its statement.”
The commission also “advised the Uefa not to accept any allegations by beIN Sports network and all its entities without criticism and review.”
“If the Uefa wishes to broadcast in Saudi Arabia, it should find a partner that is totally not connected to the beIN Sports Network and the Al Jazeera Media Network,” the commission said in its statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
Saudi Arabia reserves full legal rights and means to follow up on defamatory statements issued by the Uefa, the commission said.
Saudi Arabia, as well as Bahrain, the UAE and Egypt, on June 5 last year cut off their diplomatic, trade and travel relations with Qatar after they accused it of supporting extremists and financing terrorism.
The four countries issued a list of 13 demands and wanted Qatar to respond to them in order for relations to resume.
However, Qatar has denied the accusations and rejected the demands, resulting in a stalemate that has persisted despite mediation efforts led by Kuwait.
