Online football streaming site host Rojadirecta was found guilty on Nov. 22 for the “violation of intellectual property and charged by Spanish courts to compensate the rights holders” of the competitions, according to LE MONDE. Owned by Puerto 80 Projects, Rojadirecta.me “allows users to share web addresses” for free streams of football matches. Seized by Gol TV and Mediapro, owner of the majority of football rights in Spain, a judge of the Commercial Court of La Coruña ruled that Rojadirecta’s activity was “in violation of the intellectual property of the accusers.” The site was ordered to “immediately cease offering internet links, of any type, that allow access to live or indirect viewing of football matches.” The court also “ordered the internet host to suspend the site.” Rojadirecta was also condemned to compensate the rights holders for damages, with a “subsequent decision to be made for the amount of such damages.” Rojadirecta operators defended its actions by saying that the site “only hosted content provided by users and always removed links reported as illegal as soon as possible” (LE MONDE, 11/23).
