FIFA U-17 World Cup Final may not be broadcast – As LOC owes TV station N3.5bn – Tribune
November 13, 2009 by Bunmi Awolusi
Less than 72 hours to the end of the ongoing Nigeria 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup, Africa Independent Television (AIT), which was awarded the broadcast rights by FIFA, is being owed about N3.5 billion by the main Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the competition.
AIT, according to investigations, has not been paid a kobo by the LOC, though it spent about N12 billion to put the International Broadcast Co-ordination Centre (IBCC), where all the broadcast activities for the competition are being co-ordinated and later distributed to the various international stations.
It was gathered that AIT, because of its lean purse, could no longer provide the required services to the world, having been cut off by the MTN, which is its service provider, as a result of non-payment.
Further findings have it that AIT is indebted to the sum of N700 million, which is the amount MTN is claiming for providing fibre optic, internet connectivity and telephone lines being used at the competition, which has now been cut off.
What that means is that, transmitting of the remaining matches and the closing ceremony will not be taken live and this is contrary to the contract AIT signed with FIFA before it was awarded the broadcast rights.
Reacting to the internet problem, FIFA, through its media officer, Arai Hidenori, a Japanese, informed AIT that there was still no internet and fixed lines at the IBCC, “we need connections for tomorrow’s match; please, help us.”
Mr. Tony Akiotu, the Acting Managing Director of Daar Communication Plc, the parent body of AIT, told the Nigerian Tribune, on Thursday, in his office, that the situation was very critical.
