Berlin - German state television on Tuesday threatened to reduce its broadcasts from less popular Olympic sports in-between Games if the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) is snubbed for the television rights for the 2014 and 2016 Olympics.

The EBU, and through it the German networks ARD and ZDF, has broadcast the Olympics since 1956.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recently dismissed an EBU offer for 2014 Winter and 2016 Summer Games, aiming to generate more income by selling the rights in each country which could involve private networks.

"We will reconsider our engagement for every sport in-between Games if we lose the television rights for the 2014 and 2016 Games," said ARD programme director Volker Herres in Tuesday's edition of the Handelsblatt paper.

"The IOC overlooks the fact that we report on Olympic sports between Olympic Summer and Winter Games as well."

Reducing broadcast hours could lead to financial problems for smaller sports and their federations. ARD and ZDF broadcast small sports and Herres warned that private networks may only show big sports during the Olympics.

The EBU offer was reportedly only little over the 672 million euros (873 million dollars) it paid for the 2010 and 2012 Games. The IOC is said to be aiming for up to 900 million euros.

Herres said the IOC had an "exaggerated view of TV rights value."

But Germany's IOC vice-president Thomas Bach dismissed Herres' threat, telling Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa that "the IOC is not receptive to such blackmail attempts."

He also said the IOC could still give the rights to the state broadcasters. (dpa)