Saudi Ministry strongly refutes accusations made by UEFA regarding Beoutq

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Information has strongly refuted the irresponsible accusations made in an EU press release by the European Football Confederation (UEFA) regarding the Beoutq sports channel which is based in the Kingdom, reported the Saudi Press Agency.

The Saudi Information Ministry rejected the claim as “completely incorrect.”

The statement said: “The Ministry of Information has become aware of irresponsible accusations made in a UEFA press release regarding an entity known as Beoutq. UEFA baselessly claims that beoutQ ‘is based in Saudi Arabia.’ The Ministry of Media unequivocally rejects this claim.”

The Ministry understands that Beoutq’s set top boxes are available in many places, including Qatar and Eastern Europe.

Moreover, UEFA’s irresponsible statement is contrary to what is occurring in Saudi Arabia. Through its Ministry of Commerce and Investment, Saudi Arabia has relentlessly combated Beoutq’s activities within the country. For instance, the Ministry of Commerce has seized thousands of set-top boxes that would otherwise be used to violate intellectual property (IP) in the Kingdom. The Government of Saudi Arabia is and will remain devoted to protecting IP rights within the country.

The Ministry of nformation is informed that beIN Sports is the source of UEFA’s reckless allegation. beIN Sports is a subsidiary of the Al Jazeera Media Network.

Saudi Arabia banned Al Jazeera’s broadcasts in the Kingdom beginning in June 2017. Al Jazeera is Qatar’s principal media arm for supporting terrorism and promoting instability in the region. Al Jazeera provides a media platform for terrorists to propagate their violent message.

Saudi Arabia has also banned broadcasts by beIN Sports in the Kingdom for the same reason.

Offensive broadcasts

Al Jazeera’s response to the ban was to escalate its campaign of defamation against Saudi Arabia. While beIN Sports’s broadcasts, too, have long been used as vehicles for offensive anti-Saudi invective, beIN Sports has amplified its offensive propaganda during the World Cup 2018 - which is ironic because the World Cup is supposed to be a demonstration how football can bring nations together in harmony.

During the 2018 World Cup in Russia, beIN has defamed the Saudi Football Federation, insulted Saudi Arabia and its fans and have politicized the World Cup platform in violation of all rules and codes of conduct. For these reasons, Al Jazeera and its subsidiary beIN, will never broadcast in Saudi Arabia.

The Ministry of Information accordingly urges that responsible news organizations view the reckless press release by UEFA, as well as beIN Sports’s other unsubstantiated allegations, with suspicion.