A CONSORTIUM backed by media magnate Mr Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation has submitted a bid worth more than $2 billion (£1.25 billion) for the European broadcasting rights for the winter and summer Olympics between 2000 and 2008, according to today's Financial Times.
The paper said the bid was the strongest challenge yet to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which negotiates collectively on behalf of Europe's public service broadcasters for broadcast sports rights.
Until now the union has always won the contract, the FT noted.
It added that Mr Francois Carrard, director general of the Swiss-based International Olympic Committee (IOC) - which owns the rights - had confirmed: "We have received an offer from News Corporation and it is a serious bid."
Several continental European broadcasters are believed to be involved in the consortium.
The consortium would aim to show the games on a mixture of subscription channels and terrestrial television networks.
The EBU paid $240 million for the European broadcasting nights for this year's summer Olympics in Atlanta so Mr Murdoch's intervention is likely to drive up the cost of Olympic sports rights in Europe whatever the outcome of the contest.
Mr Murdoch's bid mirrors an offer by the US network NBC for the US rights to future Olympic Games.
