The International Sports Press Association (AIPS) Africa has described the decision of the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF), to revoke the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) accreditation of Mr. Nazim Bessol of Algeria, not only as unacceptable but also a reflection of the shame that has marked a bungled process, National Daily learnt.
A statement from the body of all sports journalists in the continent said the decision is clearly unjust, highhanded , condemnable and shows the ugly face of CAF’s media management in these disturbing times.
Mr. Bessol, the Algeria journalist was granted accreditation to cover the 2019 AFCON, but on Tuesday, June 18, was informed of the decision of CAF to revoke the accreditation without any explanation.
AIPS AFRiCA insist on the revocation of this unwholesome act by the ruling continental football body as it stands out as an assault on the independence of thought of the sports media and a fierce violation of the rights of association and participation of the media in the sports family as enshrined in the Olympics charter.
Mr. Bessol, a frontline sports journalist in the fight against corruption in football management , first had a bitter experience at the CAF awards in Dakar where he was naively tongue lashed by a temperamental CAF president Ahmad for not being an African even as he claimed he was in the full glare of the media..
AIPS “what reason can CAF offer for annulling the media accreditation of a journalist two days to the start of an event. Hayatou may have held sway for long in CAF but we can’t remember when the accreditation of a sports journalist was cancelled without explanation.
AIPS AFRICA joins our Algerian colleagues in condemning with vehemence this dictatorial act and call on the leadership of CAF to reverse this distasteful slap on the sports media family in Africa.
“Enough of this corporate brigandage. Those who claim that they are bringing the game in Africa back to the people should be sincere enough to respect the people’s voice.
“It is one in a series of assaults on the independence of thought of the Sports Media in the continent and the Olympic spirit of association within the sports family. AIPS AFRICA is totally saddened by the resort of the CAF leadership to a brutish show of disrespect to the sports media in Africa by annulling an issued accreditation of a colleague from the Algerian Sports Press.
The statement added that, it is true to type and not far from a team that promised change on winning the election and its first despicable act was to scrap the CAF Media committee in a bizarre logic of reorganisation part of which includes annulling the accreditation of a sports journalist two days before the event.
AIPS AFRICA firmly and fervently condemns this ominous act and shares with the Algerian Sports Media the same sentiments duly expressed in seeking a reversal of this unwholesome act.
“We won’t hesitate to go the distance in checking this brazen attempt to hide under the cloak of a collective fold and pursue dark and personal designs. CAF and the Sports Media have a heritage of collaboration and this spirit of partnership can’t be polluted by those who forget the great battles fought by such inspiring leaders as Ydnekatchew Tessema and even Issa Hayatou,” it added.
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