The International Sports Press Association (AIPS) has called for politics to be uprooted from sports worldwide to create a cleaner environment where the sector can thrive free from political interference.

The president of AIPS, Gianni Merlo, made the remarks in a statement on Wednesday to commemorate the 2026 World Sports Journalists Day, noting that professionals in the industry have roles to play in the movement. 

“We are living through a difficult, confusing, and violent time, but precisely for this reason we must react, find solutions, and explore new ways of practising our profession, which remains a guarantee for a cleaner and more educational world of sport for young people,” Mr Merlo stated. 

Speaking further, the administrator reiterated that politics always tries to meddle in sporting affairs, citing the difficulties members of the Iran national team faced before and during the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States of America.

“Politics always tries to heavily infiltrate the world of sport, and therefore ours as well. We are currently experiencing a vibrant FIFA World Cup edition, but the eve of it was rocked by the political storm surrounding Iran’s presence. 

“Fortunately, Iran was not excluded, but at the same time, it was not subjected to the normal conditions of other teams, yet we consider this presence highly significant,” the Italian sports journalist stated. 

Subsequently, Mr Merlo stressed that journalists must stand firm against infiltration in the era of content creation and artificial intelligence, highlighting how the industry stood up to political insertion in the past and the boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics and the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

He stated, “Now we find ourselves in a situation that is not the same, but similar. We must react firmly against initiatives that seek to pollute the world we live in. Everyone talks about content creators and artificial intelligence; these are two realities we must live with without being influenced. 

“Of course, new technologies require attention, and we must use them intelligently, because that’s how they can help us. Progress cannot be denied, but we can tame new realities and make them useful to our profession. Pessimism doesn’t help; we must look to the future with confidence in our abilities. We are not obsolete, surpassed by technology; in fact, we still have great potential, but we must believe in ourselves.”