MTN/SWAG SEMINAR ENDS IN KUMASI (PAGE 31, JUNE 15, 2010)

A FIFA referees’ instructor, Alex Quartey has urged sports journalists to be abreast of the laws of the game in order not to expose themselves in their reportage of the World Cup.
He said a number of sports journalists criticised referees unduly simply because they were not in tune with the laws of the game.
Mr Quarter made the call at a day’s seminar on coverage of the World Cup for about 80 sports journalists from the Northern Sector of the country in Kumasi last week.
Organised by the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG), in conjunction with telecommunication giants, MTN, the seminar, among other things, exposed the journalists to the intricacies in reporting the global event and how to overcome them.
Mr Quarter noted the important role sports journalists play in the promotion of the game and said this must manifest in the World Cup in South Africa.
In a presentation, legendary commentator, Mr Joe Lartey said sports journalists must be adequately prepared before going in to cover the World Cup.
He said, for instance, journalists must arm themselves with the history of the event and the participating teams in order not to be overtaken by events.
“Your reports will be richer if you adequately equip yourself with the history of the participating teams at the World Cup,” he said.
Mr Lartey challenged sports journalists to be mindful of their language since listeners and readers always expected the best from them.
He cautioned journalists who are not medically fit against attempting to cover the World Cup because the coverage demanded a lot of energy.
Senior Corporate Manager of MTN, Ghana, Mrs Georgian Asare Fiagbenu, underscored the company’s determination to support journalists to deliver quality reports from South Africa.
She said MTN was sponsoring some fans to watch the tournament as part of its corporate social responsibility.
Mrs Fiagbenu told the journalists to maintain high professional standards in their delivery.
The President of SWAG, Mr Ackah Anthony, commended the journalists for the interests shown in the seminar.
“Once again, you have shown that you are ready to learn to improve your output,” he said.
Mr Anthony said journalism was a learning process and it was important that sports journalists availed themselves of such programmes.