Sony strikes Paralympics rights deal

The Sony Pictures Networks India media company has acquired rights for the ongoing summer Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The Indian Television news website reported that SPN has secured broadcast and digital rights to the Games, which conclude on Sunday.

Coverage will be broadcast on the Sony Six and Sony ESPN pay-television channels, and on Sony LIV, SPN’s digital-streaming platform. The daily coverage will comprise regular updates and two separate hour-long highlights shows from the Games’ day and night sessions.

Prior to the deal being agreed, Indian broadcasters had come in for criticism after the Games began last week without any extensive television coverage in the country. Nine sports channels were dedicated to Olympics coverage in India.

India currently has 19 athletes competing at Rio 2016 – its largest-ever contingent at a Paralympics. SPN's coverage will continue until September 19, a day after the Games' closing ceremony.

Mariyappan Thangavelu (pictured) last week picked up India's first gold medal of the Games in the men's high jump F42 discipline.