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Agencies
LAUSANNE
The International Sports Press Association (AIPS) Executive Committee, during a teleconference on Monday, assessed the peremptory request of the coalition of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and UAE for Qatar to shut down Al Jazeera and all its connected networks including the sports network beIN, and unanimously ruled that such a demand is in no way acceptable.
"AIPS will never accept the principle that politics can limit the freedom of expression and free initiative in the field of information in any part of the world. As has been emphasised, the sports media cannot be subjected to any condition by any authority who wants to control it," it said.
AIPS said it cannot accept the behaviour of coaches and players who have refused to speak with journalists representing beIN during international events.
"In its primary role of defending the professionalism and dignity of sports journalists everywhere, AIPS strongly condemns such behaviour. The public is the main judge of sports media, and those dedicating their profession hold their work to the highest of ethical principles."
"In this delicate moment for journalism and sports journalism alike, it is necessary to defend our rights. In this case, it is also necessary to defend the jobs of hundreds of colleagues employed by Al Jazeera and beIN Sports," AIPS said.
AIPS Executive Committee hoped that international diplomacy can create the groundwork for arriving at a solution that would avoid further political controversy.
AIPS president Gianni Merlo said:"AIPS has had excellent experiences in the Gulf. Qatar has hosted two AIPS Congresses, in 2006 and 2016, two Executive Committee meetings, and three Young Reporters Program, with the latest in May of this year in cooperation with the IAAF Diamond League.
"In recent years, we have been able to see the positive evolution of sport journalism in these countries, which means that we cannot accept that this evolution is blocked indefinitely by a political storm. A generation of young colleagues is likely to suffer, which is unacceptable. We are certain that this is a point we can all agree on and we hope that dialogue will overwhelm dangerous winds of war," he said.
