THE General-Secretary of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG), Mr Charles Osei Asibey, has challenged sports journalists at the AIPS Africa Congress in Banjul to reveal the rot in the sports ecosystem.
To Mr Osei Asibey, the modern sports journalist holds the power to either serve as a catalyst for growth or a fuel for institutional collapse, and challenged his peers to recognise the difference before embarking on any investigative venture.
He said this in an address at the congress which discussed investigative journalism and its impact on sports. Contributing to the discussion, he urged that investigative journalism must be impactful, and not destructive.
Mr Osei Asibey argued that while investigative journalism remains vital in exposing the truth, it must be carried out with the precision of a surgeon rather than the recklessness of a wrecking ball, emphasising that, “the true measure of a journalist’s work is not the wreckage left behind, but the positive reforms inspired.”
According to him, the mission for the African sports journalist must be to reveal the rot within the system while simultaneously protecting the foundation of the house they are trying to clean.
Illustrating this, he recalled the painful lesson of the CAN 2008 ‘Abon Wo Ha’ scandal in Ghana. He said while investigations highlighted the rot and need for accountability, a resulting fallout led to the successive government backing out of hosting future major tournaments.
“This put Ghana in a bad light and lost major opportunities to showcase its capabilities by hosting other international events. This stalled sports development for years. It was a stark example of how, without a focus on being impactful rather than just sensational, the collateral damage can haunt a nation’s progress.”
He also touched on the Kwasi Nyantakyi saga, which infamously brought Ghana football to a standstill. Mr Osei Asibey noted that while the investigation successfully exposed corruption, it also acted as a double-edged sword as sponsorships dried up, local leagues paralysed, and the national team struggled to recover from the sudden vacuum.
He urged journalists to be mindful of this power, ensuring their reporting reforms institutions rather than simply annihilating them and leaving a void in their wake.
Expanding his scope, Mr Osei Asibey cited Nigeria’s experience, noting that the country has not hosted a major international games or tournament since Abuja 2003 African Games. He attributed that situation largely to a cycle of controversies and corruption allegations that, while often based on truth, were handled in a way that hindered overall development.
In sharp contrast, the SWAG General Secretary pointed to Morocco as a model of how the media and government can collaborate effectively. He said by fostering a constructive environment, Morocco successfully hosted major tournaments like the Africa Cup of Nations, World Cup qualifiers and more. This synergy, he argued, proves that transparency and national interest can coexist, providing a blueprint for how impactful journalism can actually support a country’s global standing.
Mr Osei Asibey urged editors and media houses to prioritise transparency, accountability, and good governance over the short-term high of social media engagement and reject the “burn it all down” mentality, reminding his peers that they were the custodians of sports history.
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