(15 May 2006 6:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Football association Uefa has announced a victory in the High Court in the UK over the illegal streaming of Uefa Champions League matches via the internet.

Uefa had issued proceedings in March this year in the High Court in England against the owners and operators of a series of websites unlawfully streaming and making available to subscribers television coverage of Uefa Champions League matches.

The claim alleged infringement of copyright in the broadcasts and all the separate ancillary copyright works included in those broadcasts, namely the UCL music, the UCL on-screen graphics, the sponsored video sequences and the UCL Starball.

The judge granted summary judgment, issued a permanent injunction restraining the broadcasting of UCL matches over the Internet, ordered the confiscation of all equipment used in the pirating process as well as ordering that the defendants pay the substantial costs of the claim with the precise level of damages to be assessed.

Uefa CEO Lars-Christer Olsson said, “This is a landmark decision in favour of Uefa and of rights holders everywhere. We see this as a major victory against the unauthourised and illegal streaming of UEFA Champions League matches over the Internet, and therefore a full endorsement for the protection of the rights of the official broadcasters who have purchased the right to show these matches.”