The sole provisional administrator of RTVE, Rosa María Mateo , has recognized the risk that the Corporation, for the first time in its history, cannot broadcast Olympic Games, specifically those of Tokyo 2020 , so it has requested collaboration from the Government to guarantee the necessary budget since its accounts currently in force, the extensions approved in 2018, do not have a specific item for this purpose.

Discovery Communications , owner group of Eurosport among other channels, is in possession of the rights of the Olympic Games for Europe. The contract with the IOC requires the issuance of a certain number of hours of open competition, with which the group may choose to do so through one of its channels or resell that part of the coverage or all rights to another entity . If it does not reach an agreement with RTVE it would be the first time that the public television of our country does not cover the biggest sporting event in the world.

"The current budget of RTVE is that of 2018, which has been extended and does not include resources to meet the costs necessary to retransmit the Olympic Games," explains Mateo in response to a parliamentary question asked by PP deputy Macarena Montesinos .

The popular representative questions the leader of RTVE about the intentions of the Corporation to issue this sporting event and the initiatives it has undertaken to achieve it. In this sense, Mateo recognizes that the dissemination of the Games is "a priority" for the public network and that they are "putting all the necessary efforts" so that this situation comes to fruition.

Thus, he explained that they are negotiating "intensively and tirelessly" with the rights owners "in the confidence of finding a satisfactory result for all."

In this project, according to Mateo, the RTVE address, the Sports and Teledeporte direction, as well as herself, have participated at some point. The Management Committee, the Digital Area, the Legal Services or the Economic Directorate have also participated in this process. "At present, the Content Advisory Council has been informed," he said.

In its response, the sole provisional administrator of RTVE acknowledges that she has turned to the Government for collaboration to achieve this retransmission. Specifically, he has contacted the acting Minister of Finance, María Jesús Montero , and his counterpart of Culture and Sports, José Guirao .

For his part, the president of the acting Government, Pedro Sánchez , has also received a letter from the Corporation expressing "the importance and relevance of the Olympic Games for Spaniards and for all citizens living in the country".

"In that letter I have explained to the president that, if we do not offer the Tokyo Games on public television, it would be the first time in history that RTVE did not broadcast this important sporting event," says Mateo. As explained in the text, the head of the Corporation is waiting for a response from Moncloa.

In declarations to El País , a director of RTVE recognized a few months ago that some budgets were needed with "between 50 and 60 million additional to be able to buy the Olympic Games".

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