beIN Sports: Saudi General Authority for Competition permanently suspends the broadcaster's license

The Saudi General Authority for Competition has permanently suspended the license of the Qatari pay-TV group beIN Media Group and imposed a fine of 10 million Saudi riyals (€2.3m) for abusing its "dominant position through several monopolistic practices with respect to potential subscribers to beIN's exclusive sports broadcast bundle for the 2016 UEFA European Championships matches," on 14/07/2020.

beIN Sports is no longer broadcast in Saudi Arabia since the breakdown of diplomatic relations between Qatar and Saudi Arabia in June 2017.

"This decision was arrived at through sham legal proceedings that repeatedly violated beIN's due process rights at every turn and the decision itself is not only contrary to international law but also the most basic principles of competition law," said beIN Media Group in response to the Saudi General Authority for Competition's decision.

"The decision is nonsensical on every single level" (beIN Media Group, 14/07/2020)

• "The decision is nonsensical on every single level, banning beIN for packaging its rights in the standard way that sports and…