Copyright protection: UEFA seek bigger guns to safeguard game from marauding pirates

July 28 – In the wake of the activities of pirate broadcaster  BeoutQ,  UEFA has moved to protect itself from similar behaviour by issuing a tender for companies to assist in its anti-piracy efforts, with a deadline of September 4 for bids.

UEFA is looking to appoint one or more internet service providers to provide monitoring and enforcement services and in a statement said it “takes the protection of its intellectual property rights, as well as the interests of its media partners, very seriously.”

UEFA wants the service to cover all its major competitions including Euro 2024,  the Nations League, Champions League and the Europa League.

UEFA was one of many rights holders affected by BeoutQ, whose operations were facilitated by the Saudi Arabian state according to a report by the World Trade Organisation last month.

Responding to that report, UEFA said at the time: “What is clear is that BeoutQ’s broadcasts constitute piracy of UEFA’s matches and as such, are illegal.”

“BeoutQ was hosted on frequencies transmitted by Arabsat and was promoted and carried out by individuals and entities subject to Saudi Arabia’s territorial jurisdiction.

“Those seeking to follow BeoutQ’s example should be in no doubt that UEFA will go to great lengths to protect its property and support its partners, whose investment in football helps it to remain the world’s most popular sport from grassroots to elite level. Piracy not only threatens that investment but also the existence of professional sport as we know it.”

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