Rosa María Mateo, the sole provisional administrator of RTVE, has revealed that the Spanish public-service broadcaster is seeking guarantees from the government to ensure it can broadcast next summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.
If RTVE is unable to strike a deal for Tokyo 2020 coverage, it would mark the first time in the broadcaster’s history that it has not shown an Olympic Games.
Mateo said the Games are a “priority” for RTVE and added that the broadcaster is making the necessary efforts to secure a deal.
“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,” Mateo said, according to Spanish newspaper El Economista.
Mateo confirmed that she has contacted Spain’s acting Minister of Finance, María Jesús Montero, and Minister of Culture and Sport, José Guirao, to discuss the matter.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has also received a letter outlining the importance of the Olympics being on free-to-air television.