DPA - The Iranian state
news television network IRIB has finalised the deal for obtaining the
live coverage rights for the upcoming World Cup games, the news agency
ISNA reported Tuesday.
IRIB will broadcast live 30 of the 64 games in the first round and all
games from the second round up to the final, ISNA reported.
The games, which will include Iran's group matches, will simultaneously
be broadcast live on the sports radio channel as well, ISNA added.
ISNA did not disclose how much the deal was worth but had earlier
reported that the rights would be purchased from an Arabic company in
charge of the Middle East area.
The IRIB commercial department has already started a campaign to attract
companies to have commercials before, during halftime and after the
games, which ISNA said will have the highest ever rate per minute.
IRIB has since 1990 broadcast the World Cup games live but with a delay
of several seconds in order to replace un-Islamic scenes, such as women
not sufficiently clothed, with other pictures.
During the 1990 and 1994 games, the replaced pictures were rather
irrelevant like for example during a game between two European teams in
1994 in the USA when IRIB suddenly showed Argentinian fans waving their
national flags.
Since 1998 the replaced scenes became more relevant showing earlier
pictures from the same game or replays of goalmouth scenes.
Iranian officials have already confirmed that a considerable number of
tickets have been purchased by Iranian opposition groups, who they fear
will try use the global World Cup attention to make political propaganda
in the stadiums against the Islamic system in Tehran.
Many football fans are therefore concerned that the delays of the live
coverage of the Iranian games would be longer than before so as avoid
pictures of political protests by the opposition groups.
