Chinese state TV blacks out Premier League games amid escalating diplomatic row between Beijing and UK government
- CCTV played Liverpool vs Chelsea on CCTV+5, rather than main sports channel
- And it is expected to dump the competition from screens for the rest of the year
- The final round of fixtures are on the weekend, but none are in CCTV’s schedule
China’s state TV has blacked out Premier League football matches as the diplomatic fallout between the UK and Beijing spreads to sport.
China Central Television (CCTV) played last night’s blockbuster tie between Liverpool and Chelsea on CCTV+5, rather than its main football channel CCTV-5.
And it is expected to dump the competition from screens for the rest of the year, reports suggest.
The final round of fixtures for this season are on the weekend, but none feature in CCTV’s schedule.
China Central Television (CCTV) played last night’s blockbuster tie between Liverpool and Chelsea on CCTV+5, rather than its main football channel CCTV-5
It is understood the contract CCTV holds does not mean it has to show the Premier League on a certain channel.
It was not immediately clear if the decision will affect the competition when it kicks off next season – starting around August.
Founder of Shanghai-based research company China Skinny, Mark Tanner, told Bloomberg the move was ‘symbolic of what else could come following decisions around Hong Kong and Huawei’.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s decision to ban Chinese tech firm Huawei from the UK’s 5G system has seen relations between the two nations sour.
Diplomatic disputes are also ongoing over the the national security law imposed on Hong Kong and China’s treatment of Uyghurs.
CCTV last year refused to broadcast live NBA matches after one official showed support for Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters.
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