"Spring Revolution" needed for a radical cultural change through sports' - AIPS President

Accra, July 4, GNA - Gianni Merlo, President of International Association of Sports Press (AIPS) has said that a "Spring Revolution" is needed to sweep a radical cultural change through sports.

In a message to member countries to mark the International Day of the Sports Journalist on July, 2, Merlo said corruption and match-fixing continue to cast a dark shadow on sports.

“Match-fixing can lead to the death of sports because the public and sports fans will no longer have confidence in the result and will stay away from the stadiums in droves. We are on the brink of the precipice.

“The media should therefore remain at the forefront in the battle to stop our beloved sport from being so tainted that it risks oblivion”. Merlo said in a message to all sports journalists across the world.

Merlo said, 2012 is a significant year because it is an Olympic Year and from the beginning of our AIPS at the Paris 1924 Olympic Games 88 years ago, the sports media has been through many developments in the media.

According to Merlo, one advancement which has helped the media most is technology as it is becoming the most demanding in the attempt to revolutionarize the media's way of working.

“Our profession has become more complicated, and in order to satisfy the public's thirst for instant news, we are expected to perform multi-task and are no longer working to a traditional deadline, but one that never has an end.

“The advent of electronic media has become something of a Trojan horse – more and more media houses are downsizing and outsourcing, and journalists are losing their jobs. The ones who are left behind are expected to work longer, harder and for less”. He stated.

Merlo said it is the duty of the sporting media to support each other by lobbying for better working conditions as preparations for the London 2012 Olympics Games is coming in a tough economic and political climate.

The AIPS President expressed worry over the situation where almost all of the leading Federations routinely provide high quality Internet service at top events for the working media at no cost, while the accredited media is still forced to pay large sums of money to have Internet access in London.

He said journalists staying in LOCOG media accommodation face a double burden with excessive Internet charges imposed by the media hotels but added that AIPS has received overwhelming support from members worldwide for the London Internet campaign and it is the duty of all to keep on fighting for what should be routine – a free Internet service.

GNA