Some believe that a deal has already been agreed and are suspicious about an unofficial approach by the IOC which invited the European Broadcasting Union and the Japan Consortium to suggest whether they would like particular events moved to suit their prime-time schedules – in compensation for a possible shift of the swimming finals to suit NBC.
The IOC denied that a decision had been made. It said that it would send out a draft schedule to all broadcasters soon. The schedule would then be discussed and finalised at a World Broadcasters Meeting in Beijing in the next few weeks. Broadcasters, the IOC said, would have a “full opportunity to air their concerns”.
