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Swisscom fined millions for dominating sports TV

Switzerland's main telecomms group Swisscom has been fined 71.8 million Swiss francs ($72.5 million, 64.70 million euros) for abusing its dominant position in sports broadcasting, the Swiss competition authorities said on Tuesday.

Published: 24 May 2016 12:15 CEST

Swisscom fined millions for dominating sports TV

Photo: Swisscom

The Swiss Competition Commission (COMCO) said Swisscom had gained a “dominant position in live broadcasting of games of Swiss football and ice hockey championships as well as of certain foreign football leagues on pay TV.”

This was mainly because one of its subsidiaries, Cinetrade, owns exclusive rights regarding the broadcast of sports content on Swiss pay TV, COMCO said.

“Swisscom has abused this dominant position in several respects,” it said, pointing out that the company for instance only granted competitors access to a reduced range of sports content.

“With these practices, Swisscom has gained an advantage in the competition between TV platforms in an illicit manner,” the competition authority said.

Swisscom and Cinetrade insisted in a statement that they “refute these accusations and consider … this sanction unfair.”

“Swisscom will carefully review the more than 200-page decree that has now been handed down,” it said. “Given the very high fine and the decision’s fundamental character, an appeal will be lodged with the Federal Administrative Court and, if necessary, the Federal Supreme Court.”

Last year the telecomms company was fined 186 million francs for improper pricing of broadband services after as a result of an investigation begun ten years earlier.

The original judgement of 219 million francs was reduced on appeal to the Federal Administrative Court.

Swisscom has since lodged a further appeal to the Federal Supreme Court.

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Norwegian prime minister fined for Covid-19 rules breach

Instagram erna_solberg

The South East police district has finished its investigation into the episode and concluded that there was a breach of national infection control rules.

The Prime Minister broke infection control measures when 13 family members were gathered at the restaurant in Geilo, a popular skiing destination. At the time, only 10 people could gather in such settings.

“I take note of the police decision. I have previously said that if the restaurant visit is followed up with fines, then we will of course make up for it. I apologise for what happened and will pay the fine,” Solberg said in a statement .

Despite not being present at the meal, due to having an eye checkup in Oslo, Solberg is considered to be one of the event’s organisers as she participated in the decision to host the dinner and was involved in choosing a restaurant.

Despite police saying his role would also fall under that of an organiser, the prime minister’s husband, Sindre Finnes, will not be fined.

“The practical arrangements were made by Solberg’s husband, but Solberg was involved in the decision to eat out,” police chief Ole B. Sæverud said at a press conference.

The police said that such a case would not normally lead to punishment, unless special considerations dictate it.

They believe that this case meets the special considerations criteria as finding Solberg guilty without any punishment could have a negative impact on the population’s compliance with coronavirus restrictions.

“Even though the law is equal for everyone, not everyone is equal. Solberg is the country’s foremost elected official and has on a number of occasions fronted the government’s decisions on measures to counter the pandemic. It is therefore considered appropriate to react with punishment, in order to maintain the public’s trust in the infection control rules,” Sæverud said.

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The restaurant Solberg’s family ate at, Hallingstuene, will not receive a fine.

“If we had come across the incident while it was taking place, we would have clarified the regulations and, if necessary, given orders to end the event. A punitive response would only be considered if the event was carried out in a clearly contagious manner, or there was a case of repeated violation,” said Sæverud.

The prime minister’s family met twice over a weekend in late February as part of her 60th birthday celebrations in Geilo. On the Saturday there were more than 10 people present at an apartment they had rented. However, as the regulations were unclear at the time police said that this was not a criminal violation.

Solberg apologised for the breach when it was first reported in March.

“I, who every single day stand and speak about infection control to the Norwegian people, should have known the rules better. But the truth is that I have not checked the rules well enough, and thus not realiisd that when a family goes out together and there are more than ten persons, it is actually an event,” she said at the time.

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