MADRID: The Royal Spanish Football Association (RFEF) has refuted claims made by Mediapro, the Spanish communications company and rights broker, that the rights tender to the Copa del Rey have been suspended.
A statement issued by Mediapro claimed that Madrid’s Commercial Court Nº 12 had ruled in its favour after it had been excluded from the original tender.
“The Royal Spanish Football Federation awarded the rights to the RTVE on May 10, after fulfilling all the terms and conditions of the public tender opened for that purpose, in accordance with the Reports issued by the Commission. National Markets and Competition (CNMC),” RFEF said in a statement.
RFEF further stated it had not received any communication from the court that put the tender into question.
Mediapro had moved court against RFEF after the national soccer body had excluded the the multimedia group from the bidding process to broadcast the final of the Copa del Rey.
The RFEF had denied Mediapro the chance to enter the running after claiming that the group had been sanctioned for criminal activity in the past and were thus excluded from the rights bidding process.
Mediapro vehemently denied these accusations, with president Jaume Roures labelling RFEF president Luis Rubiales’ claims as “falsehood”.
Roures proceeded to say that Rubiales’ comments were “offensive, unfounded and improper of a president of the RFEF”.
As per Mediapro, the Commercial Court has demanded that the RFEF reopen the bidding process for the final, despite RTVE already being granted the domestic rights to the final of Spanish soccer’s premier cup competition.
The court, Mediapro claimed, had found that the RFEF’s decision to block Mediapro’s attempts at securing the rights as a “flagrant abuse of the position of dominance held by the RFEF”.
A statement issued by Mediapro reads: “The severity of the decision handed down is an endorsement of what Mediapro had maintained from the outset; its complete competency to participate in RFEF tender award procedures or those of any other sports body.”
The RFEF had also blocked Mediapro from the planned VAR tender for Spanish football’s top two division. This decision has also been reversed as part of the court’s decree, Mediapro claims.
The Copa del Rey final between Barcelona and Valencia will take place on 25th May in Seville at the Benito Villamarín, home to LaLiga side Real Betis.
