Former president Néstor Kirchner, deputy elect for the government's Victory Front and husband of President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, said he believed "all Argentine's should have free access to soccer games," and denied reports suggesting he had met with the head of the AFA Argentine Football Association, Julio Grondona.

Kirchner defended an increased control of the state over the media, claiming it would increase participation. "From my point of view, it is very important to democratize all the structures in Argentina, and that's why everybody should have access to soccer," he asserted.

The ex-president went on to say that the "monopolist practices in the broadcasting of soccer must come to an end."

The government is reportedly negotiating the purchase of the rights to broadcast soccer games, which are currently in the hands of media group Clarín, a company described by the ex-president as imperialistic.

Different sectors of the media and the opposition have said the alleged initiative of the government to nationalize the broadcasting of soccer games is a populistic manoevre of the Kirchner administration.

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