Europe's competition commissioner Mr Karel van Miert wants to examine a four year exclusive broadcast rights deal between satellite broadcaster BSkyB and Britain's Football Association.

Asked if he would intervene in the deal, Mr Van Miert told the BBC: "We certainly will. We certainly will. And what should not happen is that those acquiring the rights will be in such a dominant position that they are going to impose the rules."

BSkyB sealed a £670 million contract in June this year to buy the rights to transmit live all FA Premier League soccer matches for the next four years.

Last month Mr Van Miert signalled his concern over long term deals involving ever larger sums of money in submissions to the European Parliament.