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12-06-2010, 22:07
* Sport signal disruption condemned UPDATED ON: Saturday, June 12, 2010 Football fans across the Arab world were furious when they tried to watch the opening game of the World Cup and found the signal was blocked. Al Jazeera Sport, the network with exclusive broadcasting rights for the tournament in the Middle East and North Africa, has said its signal was deliberately jammed on satellite channels Nilesat and Arabsat in an "act of piracy". Viewers were faced with blank or frozen screens when they tried to watch the opening game between Mexico and South Africa on Friday. Al Jazeera's signal returned in the second half of the match, but the quality was patchy. Some commentary for the game also appeared in the wrong language. "We apologise for the interruption that happened, it was because of satellite interference from an unknown source," Nasser al-Kholeifi, the managing director of Al Jazeera Sport, said. Al-Kholeifi said he was astonished that the World Cup signal was blocked because it was "not a political programme, but a sporting event. "We will do whatever we can to find whoever was responsible". Viewers upset But some viewers are still upset with Al Jazeera Sport. "What happened is shameful, the World Cup only happens every four years," one football fan in Gaza said. "We were in a coffee shop and we tried to find another place and they had the same problem." Another viewer in Gaza said: "We have lost our patience for this mistake. We are waiting to watch the only Arab team, Algeria." Nilesat, the Egyptian satellite company, has said it is investigating the source of the jamming. The company pledged to "take all measures necessary against such an irresponsible act that violates all international laws and norms". Al Jazeera is promising to pursue legal action over the incident. "After months of negotiations with Fifa, we want out Arab viewers to enjoy a few of the World Cup events for free," al-Kholeifi said. "But sadly, there are some people who have political agendas to the contrary. We will do our utmost to find who was behind it." *