SWAG President Kwabena Yeboah and other top African journalists to represent the Americans on sporst journalist day.

LAUSANNE, June 28, 2020 – A rich panel is ready to attend the 1st AIPS e-Conference on July 2. The event, which celebrates the World Sports Journalists Day and the 96th anniversary from the foundation of AIPS, will bring together journalists from all over the world and a prestigious group of panelists from all continents, who will share significant perspectives regarding the challenges that the sports media culture is called to face in this time of change. Over 430 journalists from more than 100 countries have already confirmed their participation.

RACISM IN SPORT Besides the diuscussion over the future of our profession, another pressing topic will distinguish the virtual event next Thursday. The African journalist and AIPS Vice President Evelyn Watta will address the audience with a speech regarding Racism in sport, marking a moment of reflection about a driving theme of our society which deserves a costant stance, in full harmony with the values that AIPS embodies since its birth in 1924. 

EVELYN WATTA is a Kenyan Sports Journalist working at the Olympic Channel in Madrid. She is also the Vice President of the International Sports Writers Association, AIPS. Evelyn began her career in Kenya 20 years ago at the Broadcasting arm of the Nation Media Group, the largest media group in East and Central Africa. Evelyn has since worked across various media platforms contributing to newspapers, online and other digital platforms. In 2014 she was named the CNN Africa journalist of the year, the first female journalist to win the sports category award. In 2015 she was named as one of the top 40 under 40 women in Kenya. In recent years, she has broadened both her knowledge of the field of sport administration and sports journalism, as the Secretary General of the AIPS. 

THE PANEL 
The international panel titled “Has Covid-19 affected journalists’ independence and future?” will bring together some of the most influential voices in sports media sector, including Editor in Chiefs and Senior Journalists from all over the world. The Editor in Chiefs Badreddine Drissi Lahsini and Kwabena Yeboah, respectiveley from of the Moroccan media outlet Almountakhab and the Ghanian Africa Sports, will share their vision about the severely hit African sports media industry. 

BADREDDINE DRISSI LAHSINI (Morocco April 1, 1958) is the editor in chief of Almountakhab newspaper and website since 1986. At Almountakhab the bi-weekly newspaper specialized in sport was created in 1986. A great reference in Moroccan and African sport. At the beginning of his career Badreddine Drissi was sport editor at Almithaq Al watani newspaper (1978-1984), editor at Alsaqr weekly review (Qatar) (1984-1986), Editor at Almountakhab newspaper since 1986, Columnist at Alittihad newsletter (United Arab Emirates). He also covered executive positions such as President of the Moroccan Sport Press Association since 2009 and Vice-president of the Arab Union of Sport Press since 2010. He was decorated with Royal Wissam in 1993, Jury member of many international and Arab awards. He’s married and the father of three children.

KWABENA YEBOAH (Ghana)
January 26, 1960) is the CEO of Africa Sports Publications LTD, managing editor of Africa Sports Newspaper,  a bi-weekly sports journal and  has over the 38 years edited several newspapers and online portals.  Kwabena has travelled about 43 countries on the continent and several others across the globe covering major sporting events and activities. Among the global coverage are five Olympics, four World Cups, the Cup of Nations and the Africa Games. Kwabena Yeboah was a commentator on the 2010 and 2014 world cups and on both occasions, was the commentator for the grand finale games.

Kwabena Yeboah anchored the 2002 world cup for TV Africa in South Africa who had the broadcast right for Africa. As the longest Television show host in Ghana, Kwabena is currently the host for Sports Highlight, a weekly sports programme on the national broadcast as prime television sports show in Ghana.

Kwabena Yeboah who has had several training globally also served as the vice-president of the Ghana Table Tennis Association (G.T.T.A) for a decade. 

Kwabena is currently the President of the Sports Writers Associations of Ghana (SWAG), a position proudly held for the last six years. Under his leadership, SWAG has grown in numbers to about 600 with many of the journalist taking keen interest in AIPS programs. Kwabena led SWAG to host the last AIPS Africa congress in Accra, attended by not less 50 delegates from across Africa. Father of two kids, Kwabena Yeboah is married to Mrs. Olive Yeboah.

Credit : AIPS MEDIA