BeIN Sports-TL Hearing Adjourned as Maqdessi Vows to Defend Rights of Lebanese
A court hearing on Monday against Tele Liban over broadcasting World Cup 2014 matches without authorization was adjourned to later this week.
Judge Zalfa al-Hassan postponed the hearing to Friday to study the claims made by TL and beIN Sports, which filed the lawsuit over airing the World Cup matches.
TL started broadcasting the first match on June 16, although a deal reached between the government and beIN Sports' sole agent in Lebanon did not involve granting TL the rights to air the tournament.
On that same day, Telecommunications Minister Butros Harb had announced that the Lebanese would be able to watch the Brazil-hosted FIFA World Cup, which had already kicked off a week earlier, without paying any additional fees.
TL director Talal Maqdessi told LBCI TV's reporter outside the Justice Palace on Monday that the state broadcaster “will defend its rights and the rights of Lebanese citizens.”
Maqdessi said a decision was issued in Europe in 2012 saying World Cup matches should not be given exclusive broadcasting rights.
“BeIN Sports lost the race,” he added.
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