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EU court official urges dismissal of FIFA, UEFA's TV appeal

12 December 2012, 21:34 CET
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EU court official urges dismissal of FIFA, UEFA's TV appeal

Photo © Rui Araujo - Fotolia

(BRUSSELS) - EU nations have the right to declare major sporting events to be of national importance and so available to all for free, a top EU legal official said Wednesday, rejecting an appeal by FIFA and UEFA, the world's two top football associations.

Advocate General Niilo Jaeaeskinen said the European Court of Justice should dismiss a FIFA and UEFA claim that the EU was wrong to bar commercial broadcasters from exclusive deals on the World Cup and European soccer tournaments.

FIFA organises the World Cup and UEFA the European Football Championships and sale of broadcast rights generates huge income for them.

Britain and Belgium, however, included the two tournaments on their list of nationally important sporting events and the European Commission agreed with this definition but FIFA and UEFA took the case to court for redress.

A first General Court ruling went against them and they subsequently appealed to the ECJ.

"If these competitions are considered by member states to be events of major importance for their society (they) ... may, in order to ensure broad public access, require that they be broadcast on free-to-air television," Jaeaeskinen said in a statement.

A recommendation by one of the ECJ's advocate generals is most often followed by the court in its judgements.

Opinion of the Advocate General in cases C-201/11 P, C-204/11 P, C-205/11 P UEFA v Commission


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