Russian Media Blackout of 2018 Olympics Would Hurt IOC Objectives

GENEVA (Sputnik) — Russia’s decision not to air 2018 Winter Olympics would significantly reduce the audience targeted by the International Olympic Committee, the senior communications officer at the European Broadcasting Union has told Sputnik.

"The Russian market is undoubtedly of substantial importance for the sports industry in Europe. A black-out of the Olympics 2018 would clearly have an impact on the exposure objectives of the IOC and the expectations of its sponsors who might count at least on a right of first negotiations for this territory," Claire Rainford said.

"Whether there is a financial impact on the IOC or on the obligations by the Russian broadcasters to pay depends highly on contractual details," she said.

Several major Russian broadcasters said earlier they would not televise the event in Pyeongchang, South Korea if Russian athletes are barred from going. The chief executive of a media holding that controls Russia’s Match-TV sports channel said the Winter Games would not be popular with the Russian audience in the absence of the national team.

The IOC Executive Board will meet in the Swiss city of Lausanne next Tuesday to decide whether the Russians should be banned from the games over allegations of a state-run doping scheme.

Rainford said she hoped there would be a "speedy resolution" to the broadcasting conflict "for the benefit of sport, its fans and the industry as a whole."