English Premier League ‘reviewing’ Russian broadcast deal
The English Premier League is reviewing its broadcasting deal in Russia in light of the country's conflict with Ukraine, chief executive Richard Masters has said.
Masters said that terms of the deal to show the English top flight in Russia are being assessed following the military offensive in Ukraine which has drawn sanctions from several sporting entities across the globe.
Rights to show Premier League games in Russia are currently held by Rambler and are shown on the Okko platform – with the rights set to be transferred to Match TV, which is owned by energy company Gazprom, from the 2022-23 season as part of a six-year agreement.
“With regards to our broadcast contracts in Russia, clearly they’re under review,” said Masters at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit in London on Thursday.
“I’d like the Russian people to see the strength of feeling in the Premier League and in English football this weekend," Masters also said.
“We’re looking at (the contracts) very closely in terms of suspension, termination. It’s happening right now. It’s a fast-moving situation.”
English top flight clubs are expected to make several gestures in which they pledge their support to Ukraine. There have already been several prominent demonstrations within English football since the onset of the conflict last week, with English team Everton arriving onto the pitch for their clash with Manchester City draped in Ukrainian flags.
Manchester City's Ukraine international Oleksandr Zinchenko was captured on the broadcast breaking down in tears at the gesture. His teammates also had notable anti-war messaging on their shirts before kick-off.
It is also understood that Masters is in favor of having this weekend's Premier League fixtures broadcast in Russia as normal so that the demonstrations be broadcast on television unobscured.
Russia's sporting infrastructure has been hit with several sanctions from the global sporting community, such as Russian teams being barred from FIFA and UEFA competitions, and Russian athletes disallowed from competing in the Beijing Paralympics which start on Friday.
Russian football officials announced on Thursday that they would launch a legal challenge against the FIFA and UEFA bans with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland, calling the sanctions a "fundamental violation" of the rights of players.
