Attempts to silence free and independent journalism are a real danger to sports

 

We are living in a very delicate, dangerous and confusing moment in the world, and this uncertainty has also filtered into the cosmos of sport, which exudes tension and absorbs only the worst aspects of politics.

THE GHETTO Some international federations, or at least some of their leaders, are trying, not very kindly, to throw us out, to lock us in a sort of ghetto where we should accept and be satisfied with the information that they kindly provide us, without any critical analysis.

CANCELLED They have cancelled press conferences, because in their opinion, only mixed zones, which are becoming similar to Dante’s circles, where it is not possible to work as we would like, would be sufficient for us. Some, with a kind smile, invite us to follow the competitions on TV and listen to the interviews that are broadcast on the channels, which pay for the television rights. The plurality of information? It is blasphemy.

THE DANGERS The leaders themselves do not realise – fortunately not all of them, because there are still some enlightened minds – that the cancellation of the free circulation of ideas will push the current world of sport towards the abyss, because criminal organisations want to take over and have already occupied some of it.

CORRUPTION When we underline that the fight against corruption is fundamental, we do so to preserve the future of the new generations of athletes.

WE FIGHT We will continue this fight by creating working groups, which will analyse the situation and suggest countermeasures to stem the negative tide that is trying to submerge our profession and the educational reality of sport.

Of course, we must also do some self-criticism, because often we do not go in depth in the analyses, and we only stop at the surface of a fact. However, we continue to believe in the importance of sport as a means of communication and openness between people. Some say that we are deluded, but I believe that it is important to fight for a better world than the one we are living in at the moment.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Sports Press Association (AIPS).