In a long-awaited judgement, referred by the High Court of Justice of England and Wales, the court ruled in favour of a British pub landlady, fined for televising Premier League football using a foreign satellite TV provider.
The ruling by the Luxembourg-based court threatens a massive shake-up in the sale by owners and marketing by broadcasters of sports programming.
"National legislation which prohibits the import, sale or use of foreign decoder cards is contrary to the freedom to provide services," the court said in a judgement.
It "cannot be justified either in the light of the objective of protecting intellectual property rights or by the objective of encouraging the public to attend football stadiums," it added.
It follows a case involving Karen Murphy, who runs The Red White & Blue pub in the Southsea area of Portsmouth on the southern English coast, and the English Premier League (EPL) over the broadcasting monopoly on live matches.
When Murphy took over the pub in 2004 she cancelled the license to show live EPL matches with British satellite broadcaster BSkyB and signed up with the Greek service Nova instead.
The EPL, which has sold the rights to show live matches to BSkyB and is by far the richest football league in the world, took her to court in England and she had to pay almost

Stevenson hammers Hearts into an unassailable 2-0 lead at Tynecastle
Fifty-eight minutes into a helter-skelter contest, Skacel drilled in a great strike from 16 yards.
Celtic then had midfielder Kris Commons sent off for an ugly, late challenge on Adrian Mrowiec.
Hearts sealed the points when Stevenson picked up a clever back-heel from David Templeton to crash home a shot.
The victory pushes the men in maroon ahead of St Johnstone on goal difference, while Celtic remain in third spot, ten points adrift of leaders Rangers.
Neil Lennon's side have lost three of their league fixtures this term, compared to just four defeats over the course of last season.
Tynecastle passed a morning pitch inspection following heavy overnight rain and the home side started like lightning on the zippy, wet turf.
The Celtic defence was caught napping at a fourth-minute free kick from Ian Black, with Hearts' lone striker Stevenson allowed a free diving header that Fraser Forster did well to tip round his post.
Soon after, Hearts skipper Marius Zaliukas hit the post with a shot from the penalty edge of the box, with Forster unsighted by a cluster of players following a corner.
Celtic took a while to get their strikers involved as a frenetic midfield battle raged on in the Edinburgh rain but the visitors should have taken the lead on 20 minutes.
Commons was sent off after 65 minutes A poor header from Danny Grainger allowed James Forrest to scamper forward and cross from the right to find Bangura but the recent arrival's close-range header was not powerful enough and Jamie MacDonald got down smartly to make a fine stop.
From the resulting corner, Commons drilled in a shot that MacDonald had to turn away at his near post.
The game deteriorated, with the flow regularly interrupted due to the number of fouls being committed but both sides continued to fashion chances.
Forster made a fantastic save at full stretch to prevent Hamill's curling free-kick from 20 yards finding the top corner and MacDonald's palms were stung by a thunderous long-range strike from Commons before the interval.
Celtic made a strong start to the second half, with some sharp passing in midfield forcing the home side to sit deeper and deeper.
However, Hearts took the lead out of the blue when Hamill hoisted a high ball into the penalty area and Skacel latched on to a touch from Templeton to rifle a fierce, angled shot beyond Foster from 16 yards.
And things went from bad to worse for the visitors six minutes later as Commons was shown a straight red card for a late lunge at Mrowiec after losing control of the ball inside the centre circle.
Celtic responded with a shot from substitute Mark Wilson that was parried wide by MacDonald but Hearts were further ahead on 81 minutes.
Templeton scurried after a long ball over the top of the Celtic defence and conjured up a back-heel on the byeline that fell nicely for Stevenson, who was composed enough to evade the advancing Forster before slamming a shot high into the net.
The depleted visitors could not find a way back against a resolute Hearts defence, with the home side happy to hit on the break over the closing minutes.

(CNN) – No matter what the sport is, major tournaments always throw up intriguing match-ups, contests that go beyond a simple sporting rivalry between two opponents.
New Zealand’s largest city will witness such an occasion this weekend when one of rugby’s great battles takes place.
Scotland face “auld enemy” England for a place in the quarter-final stage of the Rugby World Cup, almost 140 years after the two teams first played each other in a challenge match in Scottish capital – the world’s first international rugby match.
Scotland won that encounter.
For some, the match at Raeburn Place in Edinburgh’s fashionable New Town was the start of an annual contest that offered the Scots the chance to makes amends for perceived historic injustices suffered at the hands of their bigger and more powerful neighbor - albeit on a rugby field.
For hundreds of years the two countries fought numerous battles – Bannockburn, Stirling Bridge and Culloden to name but a few – before Scotland eventually ceded control to London’s parliament in 1707 as part of the Treaty of Union.
The loss of Scotland’s sovereignty was too much for many Scots, despite the fact it would remain largely autonomous, with its own legal and education systems.
World Cup special
More recently, the establishment of a parliament in Edinburgh has gone some way towards quenching the thirst for control among Scottish nationalists, but a desire to usurp the English “Sassenachs” in any form of sporting contest burns as brightly as ever.
And no-one shows more passion for a contest than the players that represent the Scottish and English rugby teams. The physical battle for territory and control over 80 minutes on a pitch is a perfect metaphor for the historic struggles between the two nations.
One of the most famous encounters took place in March, 1990 at Murrayfield in Edinburgh, when Scotland skipper David Sole – the sleeves of his shirt cut short - famously slow-walked his side out onto the pitch to meet the much-fancied English in a Grand Slam decider.
The tension and anticipation on the terraces was stoked by a passionate rendition of Scotland’s adopted anthem “Flower of Scotland,” before the players were finally unleashed on each other.
What followed was a brutal war of attrition that Scotland eventually edged thanks to a try from a fresh-faced bank clerk from the Scottish borders called Tony Stanger.
But not even the onset of the professional era has diminished the effect this fixture has on players.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s match, Scotland winger Simon Danielli insisted it was the one game any Scottish player wanted to win above all others.
“It’s massive, it’s the oldest game. This is one of the biggest games we’ll all ever play in,” he told scottishrugby.org.
Teammate Richie Vernon said it is an occasion every Scottish rugby player has fantasized about. “As a Scottish lad growing up that’s (Scotland v England) the game you want to play in, that’s the game you want to be involved in.”
“You play rugby in the back garden and imagine scoring tries against England. This is no different . . . but definitely a bigger stage at the World Cup.”
The passion is no less evident among their opponents.
“As an Englishman I couldn’t think of anything better than beating Scotland,” scrum-half Ben Youngs told the BBC.
“It’s England v Scotland, the fans will be going crazy so we can’t wait.”
The stakes have rarely been higher: a place in the quarter-final stage of the World Cup – even if Scotland have to win by eight points.
No problem, whispers this Scotsman…

(CNN) -- Russian Vera Zvonareva came from 5-1 down in the opening set to beat Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova 7-6 6-0 in the semifinals of the WTA tournament in Tokyo Friday.
Zvonareva will reach a career high No.2 in the rankings if she wins the Toray Pan Pacific title and will face Agnieszka Radwanska in the final.
Polish star Radwanska shocked third seed Victoria Azarenka 6-3 4-6 6-2 in the other semifinal.
Ninth seed Radwanska led 6-3 4-2 until Azarenka launched a fight back to win the second set, but two breaks of service saw her home in the decider on her fourth match point.
Zvonareva looked in big trouble in the opening stages of her match against Kvitova and faced three set points on her Czech opponent's service until winning it on a tiebreak.
The second set was completely one-sided as she breezed into her 30th carrer final.
"I don't even remember being down 5-1 in the first set!" Zvonareva told the WTA official website.
"But I slowly got into the match, making the shots I usually make. Then I was able to turn it around.
"I think I played very consistently in the second set and Petra started to make a few more mistakes. We had some tough games, but I was able to convert all my chances, and that's why the scoreline looked like that in the end."
Despite the loss, Kvitova's run to the semifinal will lift her into the top five in the WTA rankings for the first time.
Meanwhile, former world number one Maria Sharapova has pulled out of next week's China Open with an ankle injury she picked up in in her quarterfinal against Kvitova.
The 24-year-old Russian was force to retire after twisting her ankle, but is hopeful she can return to the circuit before the end of the season.
"Will do my best to recover in time for Istanbul (the season-ending WTA Championships)," Sharapova said on her website.
On the men's ATP Tour, world number four Andy Murray breezed into the semifinals of the Thailand Open in Bangkok.
The top seed beat Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov 6-4 6-4 in one hour and 28 minutes as he remained on course to win his third title of the season.

(CNN) -- Reigning champions South Africa are through to the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals after a hard-earned 13-5 win over Samoa on Friday.
The Springboks guaranteed themselves top spot in Pool D with a fourth-successive win at the New Zealand tournament, although Peter de Villier's team withstood a second-half fightback from Pacific islanders Samoa.
Wing Bryan Habana's 40th Test try, and second of the competition, after eight minutes proved enough to secure qualification for the two-time World Cup winners, and all but end Samoa's campaign.
Samoa's misery was complete in the closing stages, when New Zealand-born fullback Paul Williams was given a red card, the first of the tournament, for striking flanker Heinrich Brussow.
It looked as if the match would be plain sailing for South Africa, when Habana, 28, crashed over the Samoa line for a superb try before flyhalf Morne Steyn successfully converted.
All of South Africa's points were scored within the first 26 minutes, with Steyn adding a penalty before his namesake Frans did the same to make the score 13-0.
But Samoa rallied in the second half and got their reward with just under half an hour left to play, number eight George Stower going over in the corner to put them back in the contest.
Flyhalf Tusi Pisiata missed the conversion and Samoa were unable to score any further points, although they gave South Africa an almighty scare when center Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu was penalized for a knock on inches short of the try line.
The game looked safe for South Africa when Williams received his marching orders, but the Boks replacement hooker John Smit was given a yellow card with 10 minutes left and ordered off the field.
South Africa held on, and will now face a last eight clash against the runners-up in Pool C, one of Ireland, Australia or Italy, on October 9.
Samoa's defeat means they can only reach the quarterfinals if Fiji beat Wales, currently second in the standings, by 39 points or more, scoring more than four tries in the process, in the final Pool D contest on Sunday.

(CNN) -- Manchester City banned journalists from asking manager Roberto Mancini about striker Carlos Tevez Friday, as the fallout from the Argentine's apparent refusal to come on as a substitute continued.
Tevez, 27, has been suspended pending an investigation by City after Italian manager Mancini claimed the forward refused to come on as a second-half substitute during City's 2-0 European Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich Tuesday.
But the 2011 FA Cup winners refused to answer questions on the former Manchester United star during Mancini's press conference ahead of the club's English Premier League clash at Blackburn Rovers Saturday.
"Questions in relation to Carlos Tevez in general, in relation to his alleged conduct on Tuesday evening and the potential ramifications of that conduct and in relation to his future at the football club is strictly off limits and will not be answered," City's chief communications officer Victoria Kloss said.

"Breaches of this will result in the press conference being suspended. This decision has been made to protect the interests of all parties and safeguard the integrity of the investigation that is currently taking place."
Former Inter Milan coach Mancini rejected suggestions recent events had made this week the hardest of his 10-year managerial career.
"Why is it difficult?" the 46-year-old said. "Some situations can happen in football, in your job. It's important that the past is finished. I don't have any complications.
"Only one complication that we had two days ago is that we lost against Bayern Munich, only this.
"We started very well we can do a fantastic season, I don't have this problem. It is normal that one player is not happy to leave the pitch in an important game or to stay on the bench, it's a normal situation for every manager."
The defeat to German outfit Bayern was City's first of the season, with the Etihad Stadium outfit still unbeaten and sitting in second position after six games in England's top division.
Later Friday, City rejected a request from second-flight West Ham to take Tevez on a temporary loan. Tevez played for the Hammers when he first arrived in English football, helping them to avoid relegation before moving to Manchester United.
In addition to the controversy surrounding Tevez, City's reverse at the Allianz Arena also saw Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko react angrily to being replaced by Dutch midfielder Nigel de Jong in the second half.
Dzeko, who arrived in Manchester from Bundesliga side Wolfsburg in January, has apologized for his actions and said they were born out of disappointment with his own performance.
"Everyone has had a sleep and a rest after the Bayern game and we know we could have done better but it is football and you cannot win every game," Dzeko, who has already scored six Premier League goals this season, told City's official website.
"Bayern Munich is behind us, we are feeling positive and looking forward to the next game. That is our target now. I know my reaction was bad and I have spoken to the guys and to the coach as well.
"I have apologized for the reaction and Roberto has accepted it and said that everything is ok and that we have to be positive for the next game."
After Saturday's match at Ewood Park, City entertain Aston Villa on October 15 before Villarreal arrive in Manchester for a Champions League clash on October 18.

NEW DELHI: Former India great Kapil Dev has slammed the media's obsession with Sachin Tendulkar achieving 100 international centuries, saying the focus should be on the team's performances.

During India's recent tour of England, speculation reached fever pitch about Tendulkar reaching the landmark figure.

But the star failed to fulfil his fans' hopes and was left stranded on 99 hundreds - 51 in Tests and 48 in one-day internationals.

India were blanked 4-0 in the Test series, conceding their number-one ranking to the hosts, and also lost the one-dayers 3-0.

"You seem more keen about Sachin's 99 hundreds and not about how we are going to win the next series," Kapil said while delivering the Dilip Sardesai lecture in memory of the former Test batsman in Mumbai on Thursday.

"I am not saying don't give credit to individual performances, but the country should come first.

"Everyone knows Sachin has 99 centuries, but how many know which of those have ended in victories? Out of Sachin's 99 hundreds, 60 have ended in wins. If anyone reports that I'll be happy.

"We have to change our mindset. If we lose the match, what's the use of statistics? To hell with that!"

Kapil, 52, regarded as one of the best all-rounders of his era, claimed a then-world record 434 Test wickets, besides taking 253 one-day wickets, before quitting the game in 1994.

He also scored 5,248 runs in Tests and 3,783 in one-dayers.

Kapil, who became India's first World Cup-winning captain in 1983, also blamed tight scheduling for the team's disastrous show in England.

The Indian players figured in the lucrative Twenty20 Indian Premier League (IPL) a few days after winning the World Cup in April before leaving for the West Indies and England tours.

"The players did not get time to unwind and enjoy their World Cup victory. They had worked four years for it. But they just got four days before the IPL began," Kapil said.

"They should have got more time to enjoy the moment. If you don't give time to unwind, you lose the passion to play. That's what happened in England."

Kapil also wanted players to be paid more for representing the country than their IPL franchises.

"How can you give more money to play for a club and not for playing for the country?" he said.

A teaser of a Japanese drama starring actress Kim Tae Hee has been released!
On a popular online community, a post entitled, “Four minutes of Kim Tae Hee’s Japanese drama teaser,” was posted recently, revealing the drama ‘99 Days with a Star‘ that is planned to be broadcast next month in Japan.
The clip features Kim Tae Hee and the male lead Nishijima Hideto making different facial expressions to each other while “Dancing Queen” by ABBA is playing in the background. When Kim Tae Hee is asked what her favorite food is, she answered “Takoyaki,” while Nishijima replied, “Nigiri”.
Kim Tae Hee commented, “I’m waiting anxiously as I get to work with a Japanese actor and director. Though we speak different languages, I hope that we’re able to communicate on set well. Hopefully, it’s a drama that both Korean and Japanese people will find enjoyable.”
Source + Photo: Asia Today via Nate