The Times of Sri Lanka

MTV/MBC restrained from broadcasting Olympic Games

The Colombo Commercial High Court today issued an order preventing MTV/MBC from carrying out pre-publicity relating to the telecast of London Olympic 2012 until the case is over.

The court made this order following a civil suit filed by the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) claiming that it had sole broadcast rights to telecast the 2012 Olympic Games.

Colombo Commercial High Court Judge Gamini Amarasekera made this order on MTV/MBC after considering the objections filed by MTV/MBC against the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) over its move to restrain the granting of transmitting rights of 30th Olympic Games within the territory of Sri Lanka to any network other than the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation.

Plaintiff’s Counsel Palitha Kumarasinghe PC, instructed by Sanath Wijewardena, asserted that SLRC and Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union had entered into an agreement on December 6, 2011 signed by ABU Secretary Javad Motthaghi to provide excusive transmitting rights of the30th. Olympic Games to SLRC, within the territory of Sri Lanka.

However, the Sports Director of ABU, John Barton, had decided to pool the broadcasting of the events of the 30th. Olympic Games with the Carlton Sports Network and MTV/ MBC Networks.

The plaintiff pleaded the Commercial High Court for a permanently restraining order preventing the defendants from broadcasting the events of the 30th Olympic Games and for an enjoining order restraining the defendants until the final determination of the case.

The Court, while issuing the enjoining order, observed that prima facially there was a case for the plaintiff against the defendant.

The defendant was ordered to file objections on August 27.