Our year 2026, between war drums and the hope of a sport that rediscovers culture

We are living through the most delicate period for global stability since the end of the Second World War. The echo of the drums of war is part of our daily lives, and we risk becoming numb to the images of destruction and death. 

TRUST Sport survives, but it also needs injections of trust, because it risks falling into the hands of organizations that know neither dignity nor honesty. It is precisely during these dark times that illegal betting and doping thrive, exploiting the contradictions of a sporting world that is often still culturally unprepared. 

DUTY Our task, as sports journalists, is to delve into all issues and monitor the behavior of those who manage top-level sport to prevent them from taking positions contrary to the fundamental principles of transparent and educational sport. 
 
ENHANCED GAMES The "Enhanced Games" are expected to launch in June, although it's not yet entirely certain. These games are where anything is possible with the blessing of magic pills, which can transform a bank clerk into a world champion, as rich as Scrooge McDuck, in just a few months. These pharmacy-based games, which also promise an elixir of long life, are the perfect calling card for those who want to get their hands on sports to make money gambling with the health of others. This isn't about being overly conservative and even a little old-fashioned; rather, we need to defend educational values, which are also the foundation of civil society. 

AI Our "enhancement" could be Artificial Intelligence, which should improve our lives as journalists, but it's not yet entirely clear how. Like pills, AI, taken in controlled doses, can be extremely useful, while left unchecked, it can create serious problems. We must defend accurate, human information, not just artificially generated information, because otherwise we will end up in the hands of unscrupulous operators, masters of creating artificial truths. And we will all become characters in a fictional story… 

THE ROLE We are also establishing the role of Content Creators, so we are on the right track. If all wars end, sport will have the role of recreating meeting points for young people, and this will be a crucial moment, where our profession can help reopen constructive dialogue. 

 Gianni Merlo - AIPS President, Photo Carlo Pozzoni