The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has sold the rights to the 2014 and 2016 Olympic Games in the Middle East.

The Arab States Broadcast Union (ASBU) has secured the rights across all broadcast platforms, including free-to-air television, subscription television, internet and mobile phone, throughout the region: Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen are all covered.

"The ASBU has been the IOC's broadcast partner in the region since 1976 and has shown a great commitment to the Olympic Games and the Olympic movement," said IOC President Jacques Rogge. "We are delighted to be able to extend our partnership with the ASBU for a further four years."

The ASBU had guaranteed 200 hours of exposure for the Olympic Games in 2016 and a daily prime-time highlights show for the Winter Games in 2014. ASBU director general Salah Eddine Maaoui added: "We highly commend and value this great achievement which will further enhance our successful partnership with the IOC and will allow us to contribute to maintain the universal character of the Games and, in particular, to be accessible to the widest possible television audience free of charge. We extend our warmest thanks to the IOC team for the frank and productive discussions that led to this deal and we pledge our commitment to work for the widest exposure of the Olympic Games in the ASBU region and for the enhancement of the Olympic values."

The 2008 Summer Olympic Games secured a global total of US$1.7 billion in broadcast revenues, while the 2006 Winter Olympic Games took US$833 million.