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Sometimes Russian Roskomnadzor handles disputes on copyright infringement much better than courts

National sport channel has asked the court to apply “interim measures” in relation to web-site sports.ru in order to protect copyright in broadcasting television programs of “NTV Plus Sport” and “Our Football”. In other words, company asked the court to block web-site for copyright infringement of TV channels. The claimant asserts its programs were streamed without proper consent of right holder.

The court has duly considered all documents and materials provided by the claimant and decided to satisfy its requirement to block web-site for copyright infringement. Roskomnadzor has been obliged to implement this decision. Claimant has 15 calendar days to file a suit. It seems like usual case. But Roskomnadzor refused to block web-site. It seems for someone sport is more important than copyright.

Roskomnadzor has notified web-site of possible blocking of web-site for copyright infringement. But the operator of web-site has no idea what content they translate is pirated. “We don’t understand, what content is (pirated). We officially replied, if we were referred to content in dispute we would delete it,” – stated CEO of sports.ru. He believes the claimant don’t like independent competitor, popularizing sport.

The chief of Roskomnadzor stated that web-site will not be blocked. The illegal content in question has been deleted. But CEO of sport.ru is not sure what content is illegal and subject of court dispute. Resource did not “receive any precise reference to unit of content”. He supposed it could be material published in April and then deleted immediately. Representative of claimant has confirmed that pirated content has been deleted.