Canal+ contests rugby ruling

Canal+ is to contest the suspension of award of the rights to the country’s Top 14 rugby competition with the French Court of Cassation, according to local reports.

According to BFMTV, which broke the story, the rights to the Top 14 have been held by Canal+ for the last five years, but the French competion regulator has frozen its securing of rights to the next five years of the championship on the grounds that the pay TV operator’s grip on the tournament is anti-competitive.

Canal+ secured the rights in January for a reported €355 million, but rival BeIN Sport complained, having been cut out of placing a competitive bid.

Canal+ and the French rugby league have taken all possible steps to fight this decision, which was recently upheld by the country’s Court of Appeal.