China’s rights holder refusing to show Premier League matches over Ukraine support: BBC
China’s rights holder has told the Premier League it will not broadcast EPL matches this weekend because they planned to show support for Ukraine, the BBC reports.
The Premier League reportedly declined to comment when asked about the matter.
China is a close ally of Russia and has refused to condemn its invasion of Ukraine.
The Chinese decision came after the Premier League issued a statement condemning the invasion and saying that all clubs would show solidarity with the people of Ukraine during matches this weekend.
iQiyi Sports took over rights to broadcast the Premier League in China last year after the collapse of a deal with PPTV.
The row comes as the Premier League reviews its broadcast contracts in Russia.
The league’s chief executive Richard Masters said that, with teams demonstrating their support for Ukraine, he would "like the Russian people to see the strength of feeling in the Premier League and in English football this weekend".
He added: "But we are looking at them [the contracts] very closely in terms of suspension or termination, given the current circumstances."
In 2019, China's state broadcaster CCTV removed an Arsenal-Manchester City match from the schedule after Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil had posted on social media about the treatment of Uyghur Muslims in China.
