The move comes after several warnings from beIN Media Group CEO Yousef Al-Obaidly on the importance of piracy.
BeIN Sports has claimed a major win in the fight against piracy after obtaining the first court decision requesting the blocking of fraudulent websites.
The decision was rendered by the Paris Court of Justice and comes as beIN Sports France exclusively broadcasts the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations, a tournament that is heavily pirated.
The decision sees that under the new Article L. 333-10 of the Sports Code, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) will block offending sites and addresses. Users of these platforms will be unable to access illegal live broadcasts.
The decision, which marks a first for France, ensures the blocking of offending websites and addresses so users can no longer access illegal live broadcasts. Following the decision, French media regulator Arcom (Audiovisual and Digital Communication Regulatory Authority) will now have the power to request internet service providers to block any new site that illegally retransmits live coverage.
The move comes after several warnings from beIN Media Group CEO Yousef Al-Obaidly on the importance of piracy.
Caroline Guenneteau, Deputy General Secretary of beIN Media Group, said: “BeIN Sports welcomes the speed of the procedure and the diligence with which the blocking measures were put in place. This first-ever court decision is the culmination of years of work and fight against piracy led by beIN Media Group and beIN Sports France, in order to protect the intellectual property of broadcasters and rights holders, and to preserve the sports ecosystem.
“It is a concrete sign of the entry into force of the new legal mechanism aimed at simplifying and accelerating the blocking and inaccessibility of fraudulent sites and/or addresses broadcasting illegal content via streaming or IPTV. This major step in the history of the fight against piracy marks a symbolic turning point and gives a strong signal to all the players concerned.
“The objective from now on will be to determine, in consultation with all the stakeholders and Arcom, the modalities that will allow us to optimise, in the coming weeks, the timeframe for the application of blocking measures for identified sites and possible mirror sites.”
