A row over broadcasting of the World Cup in Saudi Arabia "has escalated," with "Riyadh denying an allegation" by UEFA that BeoutQ, which the governing body says is illegally showing matches, is "based in the kingdom," according to REUTERS. UEFA "threatened action" over BeoutQ’s airing on Riyadh-based satellite provider Arabsat of the ongoing tournament, as well as the Champions and Europa Leagues. The European body alleges BeoutQ is "illegally using content" from Qatari-based beIN Sports network, which "holds regional rights but is blocked in Saudi Arabia under a boycott of Qatar." Saudi Arabia’s Media Ministry in a statement on Friday denied that BeoutQ was based in the kingdom. It said in the statement, "Everyone knows that BeoutQ’s set-top boxes are available in a number of countries, including Qatar and Eastern Europe." Authorities are "working to prevent" BeoutQ’s activities in Saudi Arabia, "though the broadcasts remain widely available." Qatar and Saudi Arabia "have exchanged recriminations over the alleged piracy," but UEFA’s threat "has cranked up the tension" after an earlier rebuke by FIFA. Saud al-Qahtani, a senior adviser to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, called the piracy charges “baseless” and “unfounded," accusing Qatar of "trying to divert attention" from the dispute with its neighbors. Turki Al al-Sheikh, the head of Saudi Arabia’s General Sports Authority and also a senior adviser to Prince Mohammed, said on Twitter last week that UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin was trying to meet him, but he does not "like to meet men of many faces." UEFA responded by tweeting that it was surprised at the comment "as the UEFA President has never heard of this person and he therefore would have no reason to meet him" (REUTERS, 6/23).
