The Sports Press Forum, organised by the Moldovan Sports Press Association (APSM), brought together journalists, sports partners, and international guests on Saturday, 12 April at Mi Piace Restaurant in Chisinau. Mi Piace, a long-standing supporter of APSM and traditional host of the APSM Gala, provided the familiar and welcoming setting for what proved to be a significant gathering for the future of Moldovan sports journalism.
The forum was convened to open a much-needed dialogue between sports journalists, national federations, and key business and civil society actors involved in sports development. Participants tackled the pressing issues that journalists face in their day-to-day work, including strained relationships with sports organizations and the broader challenge of securing meaningful collaboration.
A highlight of the event was the presence of Charles Camenzuli, President of AIPS Europe, who attended as guest of honour. Prior to the forum, Camenzuli made an official visit to Chisinau’s Town Hall, where he met with Mayor Ion Ceban and Andrei Povaloi, head of the city’s Youth and Sports Department. The City Hall has long been a reliable ally of APSM, consistently showing support for the development of local sports journalism. At the Forum, Charles Camenzuli delivered a presentation about the history of AIPS and the current projects of the organisation.
LACK OF TRANSPARENCY
One of the central concerns voiced during the forum was the growing reluctance of many sports organisations to engage openly with the press—some even exhibiting outright hostility. This lack of transparency has serious implications for the work of journalists, who often struggle to gain access and accreditation for major international events.
Regrettably, the absence of key decision-makers underscored this challenge. Despite invitations, most sports federations did not attend the forum. Only the Moldovan Football Federation—a long-term supporter of the Association—responded positively and participated in the discussions. Notably, the Ministry of Education and Research, which holds primary responsibility for national sports development, also failed to attend.
“The sports press in Moldova is constantly developing, despite various obstacles,” said Charles Camenzuli. “The problem of accreditation of Moldovan sports journalists at the Olympic Games and other international competitions has become much more acute in recent years, and we hope that a consensus will be found to solve it. I am glad that the Moldovan sports press has valuable partners, including the Chisinau City Hall. Surely together we can achieve good results.”
PUSHING FORWARD
Despite the lack of institutional support, APSM continues to push forward with projects aimed at promoting national sport. The Forum itself was made possible through the support of dedicated partners including the National Lottery 7777.md and the TornerSportsInitiative platform. Both were represented at the event and emphasized the dual importance of supporting Moldovan sports organisations and giving a platform to the press, which plays a critical role in sharing the achievements of Moldovan athletes with the world.
ACCREDITATION ISSUES
Among the most alarming issues raised at the forum was the persistent practice of denying accreditation to journalists who provide critical coverage—undermining their ability to report on major events like the Olympic Games or European and World Championships in Athletics.
The Moldovan National Olympic and Sports Committee (NOSC) has become notoriously associated with abuses in the accreditation process. These include allocating Olympic accreditations to individuals with no background in journalism or sports media, while sidelining experienced journalists due to their past criticism of the NOSC or affiliated sports federations. For instance, an individual who was due to receive a Paris 2024 Olympic Games press accreditation – but whose status was subsequently changed after an APSM protest – wasn’t a member of the Moldovan Sports Press Association (APSM) or the International Sports Press Association (AIPS), and had no demonstrated history in sports reporting. In a classic example of conflict of interest, the person in question also happened to be an NOSC employee – who also happened to be listed as a member of the commission that was supposed to review and approve the press accreditation applications.
UNPROFESSIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
In 2024, for the first time in decades, Moldova did not have an accredited photographer at the Olympic Games. Photographers seeking accreditation were required to sign a waiver stating they would not request any financial support from the NOSC—effectively making the trip to Paris entirely self-funded. Given the limited financial resources of Moldovan media outlets, this condition alone made attendance virtually impossible. More controversially, applicants were also required to forfeit all rights to the images they would take of Moldovan athletes, with full ownership and distribution rights transferred to the NOSC.
In short, to gain Olympic accreditation in 2024, journalists were expected to meet three conditions: offer only positive coverage of the NOSC, cover all expenses independently, and relinquish any claim to their professional work. At the Forum, APSM President Eduard Ciobanu has once again voiced concern that the committee responsible for reviewing accreditation requests for the Milano-Cortino 2026 winter Olympic Games.
Compounding the issue, the NOSC representative publicly suggested that Moldovan athletes should receive only positive media coverage, regardless of performance—implying that once an athlete qualifies for an international competition, critical or objective journalism is no longer acceptable. Unfortunately, the NOSC representative left the Forum so quickly that AIPS Europe President Camenzuli did not have the opportunity to deliver his comments regarding the accreditation mismanagement.
POOR COMMUNICATION
Journalists who took part in the Forum also highlighted the fact that sports federations should do a better job at communicating about their upcoming events, some invitations are delivered on the eve of the event, which makes news coverage impossible. Additionally, numerous journalists have also encountered problems when athletes or coaches ignored media duties, making the work of TV reports especially difficult. This once again came back to the Federation’s lack of understanding of public relation requirements that all stakeholders should be a part of.
The Sports Press Forum served not only as a platform for airing grievances, but also as a call to action: for federations, institutions, and media to come together in building a stronger, more transparent sports culture in Moldova. The path forward will require collaboration, openness, and a recognition of the essential role the press plays in shaping the story of sport.
@ AIPS
