AFCON: CAF Is Not Happy With These ‘Unprofessional’ Journalists

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is doing whatever it may take to handle what it calls the “rising unprofessional” conduct of journalists at the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.

On Friday February 2 2024, CAF said it met with the local organizing committee and the police to track down useful arrangements, and that it had raised its interests with a few organizations representing journalists at the competition.

“Going forward any media practitioner who is involved in wild celebrations and abuses other media colleagues will be immediately removed by security and his/her accreditation will be withdrawn,” said CAF, which said the same goes for “any media representative who is involved in a fight in media areas or physical scuffle.”

CAF also said that filming in the media tribune and live streaming from the blended zone are not allowed, and that obscene language toward coaches or players won’t go on without serious consequences.

When it became apparent that the players were avoiding the usual post-game mixed zone, Ghanaian journalists got into an argument with the Ghana team. The players were accompanied to the team bus in the midst of heavy security.

Several other journalists and reporters from other participating countries also did same when their team were taken out of the competition.

Ivorians Will Now Be Excited About Their Chances Of Reaching The Final

Recently, the International Sports Press Association condemned journalists’ “deplorable” behavior at this edition of the Africa Cup of Nations.

“Between pitched battles, attacks, invectives, it is a distressing spectacle that certain colleagues have been delivering to the world since the start of CAN 2023,” the association said, referring to the Africa Cup by its French acronym.

Many authorized journalists covering the competition have been wearing their National team pullovers and vocally supporting their teams during games, noisily celebrating any goal or win. An Ivorian with press accreditations was recorded dancing shirtless after the team’s win on penalties over Senegal.

There have also been successive contentions among media scrambling for transports at the competition, while there were additionally squabbles among Guinean and Senegalese journalists before their countries’ group game, and between Moroccan media and South African agents during their teams’ match on Tuesday.