2.7.2023. - WORLD DAY OF SPORTS JOURNALISTS

Sports journalists around the world celebrate July 2 as their own day, World Sports Journalists' Day. 99 years ago, on the eve of the Paris Olympics, the World Association of Sports Journalists, AIPS, was founded. We are approaching the centenary, right again in Paris, next year on the eve of the Olympic Games.

 

How sports journalism has changed in these 99 years! Slower in the beginning, but faster and faster in recent years. The entry of artificial intelligence into our work seems to have threatened the job of a sports journalist even more. But, fortunately, no matter how much artificial intelligence can draw some conclusions from statistical data or write basic news, at this moment it cannot yet understand sports, athletes, coaches, relationships, connections, which only a real sports journalist understands, so we are still in advantage.

 

Knowledge of sports, but first of all the legality of work, especially the language we write or speak, is the basis from which we must never run away, despite all the influences on our profession. Populism and glorification of every result, especially of the youngest athletes - is wrong. Fewer and fewer children are involved in sports today, not only in Croatia, and I'm afraid that the reason lies partly in us as well. Yes, we need to find ways to push children towards a healthier life, we need to encourage them by announcing their sporting successes, but also by clever explanations of inevitable failures, but we must refrain from excessively glorifying those who, in addition to sports, still have to play, and take sports seriously only in their twenties. That's why, pressured by public opinion or disappointed by our reactions, children give up sports, and therefore a healthy life, and what's worst, they become a role model for others in their generation who stop playing sports, even recreationally. Let's think about it a bit...

 

But times are changing. As early as next year, on the 100th anniversary of our holiday, perhaps this greeting card will be written by an artificial intelligence.

 

Well, I hope not though.

 

Happy World Day of Sports Journalists!

JURA OZMEC
PRESIDENT OF THE CROATIAN ASSOCIATION OF SPORTS JOURNALISTS