Prasar Bharati, which floated a tender with strict pre-qualification conditions, has opted out of awarding the contract and marketing rights for the entire period from 1999 to 2004 for which it has signed the Rs 228.50 crore deal with the BCCI.

Signing of the deal has come under considerable pressure due to the ongoing row between the Board and Doordarshan (DD) over the dispute on payment of Dollars seven million to private production company WorldTel in connection with the 1996 World Cup.

Prasar Bharati CEO Rajeeva Ratna Shah announced that DD would not withdraw its case, a major issue over which the signing of the deal was reportedly delayed despite the Board's working committee giving the go ahead on August 20.

Amidstthe wrangling, WorldTel has shot a letter to DD complaining against the ``discriminatory'' bid conditions saying it ``will limit competition for the contract and remove the companies most likely to pay DD the highest amount for the international rights and produce the best signal thereby reducing DD's potential to make profits on the telecast.''

In a letter, WorldTel Chief Mark Mascarenhas cautioned DD saying it could ``put itself in a position where it finds the criteria it has set out being challenged.'' Criticising the bid conditions, he said the criteria laid out ``appears to limit the number of those qualified.''

As per conditions, American Production House TWI and London-based CSI alone could fulfill the requirement of being contracted to a minimum of two cricket boards under ICC.

The minimum pre-qualification lists one of the criteria as ``bidder must be currently the contracted distribution company for a minimum of two cricket boards under the ICC as well as represent a minimum of two otherinternational sports federations in major global sports such as tennis, football, golf, rugby etc.''

While TWI is a contracted distribution company of the West Indies and Bangladesh cricket boards, CSI has tie-ups with Australia, South Africa, England and Zimbabwe.

It is also stipulated that the bidder should not be an affiliate of any channel that is a rival of Prasar Bharati, which eliminates all the companies producing for private channels.

The bid closes by 3 pm tomorrow.