by Alieu Ceesay in Doha, Qatar
The President of the world’s sporting press – the International Sports Press (AIPS) Gianno Merlo said it is the responsibility of sports journalists to fight against any form of corruption in sports.
He was speaking on Monday during the opening of the 79th Congress of the AIPS in Doha, Qatar. The opening was attended by the Qatari Prime Minister Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani.
Sports journalists representing over 100 sports associations around the globe are currently converging in Doha for this all important meeting. The Sports Journalists’ Association of The Gambia (SJAG) is being represented at the Congress by its President Musa Sise and Secretary General Alieu Ceesay.
“It is our [sports journalists] responsibility to fight corruption,” he told the delegates, citing match-fixing and other menace as a concern. The year 2015, he said, had been an eventful year for AIPS.
He urged journalists to do away from corruption in order not to lose their credibility and integrity. “We must be careful and we need to come out clean as fighters against corruption in sports. We must not give up,” he added.
Merlo’s address was preceded with presentations by the Qatari Olympic Committee Secretary General HE Dr. Thani Al Kuwari, who said Qatar is glad and proud to host the AIPS congress together with other important sporting events in the near future.
Massimiliano Montanari of International Centre for Sports Security said ICSS is a globally renowned and respectable leader in sport safety, security and integrity. Sports journalists, particularly investigative journalists, he added are critical partners in bringing about sanity in global sports.
The delegates will today (Tuesday) participate in the Qatari National Sports Day before converging for another extra presentation on the topics ‘Sports Journalist freedom in danger- petition and limitations’ and Ethics in sport and journalism.
