There’s no place in sport for piracy, insist Saudi football chiefs

THE Saudi Arabia Football Federation (SAFF) have written to the Premier League and other governing bodies to stress they ‘fully understand the need to protect and respect intellectual property rights’.

Following the World Trade Organisation’s verdict that Saudi Arabia have not provided ‘criminal procedures and penalties’ to tackle pirate pay broadcaster beoutQ, the Kingdom have taken a number of measures to combat piracy.

The Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property have announced they are shutting down 231 websites that streamed films, sports channels and music illegally and warned offenders they could face six months in prison and fines of more than £50,000.

It has since emerged that Yasser Almisehal, the president of the SAFF, has written to a number of major governing bodies, including the Premier League, about the issue.

“It should be noted that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was not implicated in any criminal offence regarding the broadcasting of sporting rights,” an excerpt from the letter reads.

“Copyright piracy is a global issue that impacts many sports and rights holders in many territories. It holds no place in sport and as a member association of the FIFA, we fully understand the need to protect and respect intellectual property rights.”

A number of moral objections have been raised to the prospective Newcastle takeover – Hatice Cengiz, the fiancée of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi, is among those who have voiced their disapproval – but it is the piracy issue that has proved a sticking point.