The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) has witnessed a new major hacking operation committed by the pirate television platform called “beoutQ”, with its flagship competition the Total Africa Cup of Nations organized in Egypt as victim.
Television broadcasts of all 36 matches in the group phase were fraudulently diverted and made available on beoutQ, with the support of the satellite provider Arabsat. Arabsat has refused to obey the requests for taking down the illegal transmissions.
Only beIN Sports has a contract from CAF to broadcast, on an exclusive basis and with the right to sub-license AFCON matches in North Africa and Middle East in particular, while the Egyptian channel Time Sport Channel, as the host television of the competition, is authorized by CAF to broadcast the games by free terrestrial television throughout the territory of Egypt.
beoutQ is broadcasting throughout the Middle East and North Africa, and is also available across the world, which is causing severe damage to the rights of CAF and all rights granted by contracts to its official broadcast partners, and first and foremost beIN Sports and Time Sport, considering the territorial zone in which the pirate broadcasts of beoutQ are focusing.
The broadcasting rights granted by CAF on an exclusive basis to its official broadcast partners are matched by important financial contributions that ensure the financing and development of African football competitions and its member associations.
CAF has strongly condemned the acts of piracy committed by beoutQ that directly threaten the ambitions of influence and development of the African football and CAF.
The federation has urged beoutQ to put an end to these piracy acts. CAF also intends, in compliance with its statutory missions, to join the steps taken by the main rights holders harmed (including FIFA, UEFA, AFC, Liga, Premier League and Bundesliga) and to take all necessary measures and actions against entities that commit, or are complicit in the commission of, these piracy acts, including proceedings.
RESULTS & FIXTURES
Nigeria 3-2 Cameroon
Egypt 0-0 S/Africa
Madagascar vs DR Congo 4pm
Algeria vs Guinea 7pm
Source: CAF
