Threatening International Prosecution via FIFA: Media Company Accuses Houthi Group of Pirating Yemen League Broadcasts
Yemen Monitor/ Newsroom:
“Omq Art Production” has accused the Houthi-controlled Yemen TV in Sana’a of “piracy” and illegally violating the broadcast rights of Yemen League matches, labeling it a breach of intellectual property rights.
In a statement, the company said the channel insisted on “stealing the broadcast” despite openings for dialogue and opportunities to obtain broadcasting rights officially and legally. It noted that the channel refused to purchase the rights through official channels, in a flagrant violation of the exclusive broadcast rights approved for the league.
Omq confirmed it is in the process of taking legal action and pursuing the channel and satellite operators locally and internationally, including submitting a comprehensive file to the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) to document these violations.
The company emphasized that respecting broadcast rights is the fundamental pillar for building a professional sports and media industry, warning that the continuation of such violations undermines efforts to develop Yemeni sports.
Omq is the exclusive owner of the broadcast rights for the Yemen Football League and the Republic Cup—two tournaments that were suspended for more than 12 years. The company acquired these rights through an agreement signed with the Yemen Football Association.
The Houthi group has prohibited the company from operating in areas under its control and continues to broadcast the matches on its controlled Yemen TV channel.
