African branch of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) has slammed the acts of some sports journalists at the ongoing AFCON, which is being hosted in Cote d’Ivoire.
This comes after some journalists were seen wearing their national team jerseys and vocally supporting their teams during games, loudly celebrating any goals or victories, dancing shirtless or performing in the media work spaces after their team’s win, fighting , attacking, or insulting other journalists or players from different countries.
These acts are quite unprofessional, as AIPS stated in a statement.
“Being a journalist means behaving properly and, above all, exercising restraint. Certain behaviours are simply unworthy of a profession as noble as journalism,” a section of the statement read.
The AIPS also stressed that sports journalists cannot act as supporters, saying, “Even if the journalist is not a UFO (Unidentified Flying Object), he cannot be considered a supporter. This is why AIPS Africa invites colleagues to be reasonable and to work in compliance with the rules of ethics and professional conduct.”
The 2023 AFCON has reached the quarter-final stage, with matches scheduled for this weekend.
The tournament has received widespread praise for the competitive games, quality of play, effective coaching, and successful use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).