CFP: Inviting you to submit papers to new IFJ/Play the Game website and help qualify Olympic journalists

Inviting you to submit papers to new IFJ/Play the Game website and help qualify Olympic journalists

The 10,000 athletes that will soon compete at the Olympic Games in Beijing are not the only ones to see their abilities tested to the limit. Around 30,000 journalists and an unknown number of Chinese government officials will face a test that they have had no chance to train for:

The test of practising the media freedom that the Chinese authorities have granted all foreign journalists temporarily before, during and after the Olympics.

"The China story is our greatest test. It’s a golden chance to showcase quality journalism for democracy. Working seriously is the best support that journalists can give to the principle of freedom of expression in China and all other countries," says the General Secretary of International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Aidan White.

That is why the IFJ now joins forces with the world communication conference on sport and society Play the Game to offer a helpline and background information on China at www.playthegameforopenjournalism.org

The website is open for the public and will over the next few weeks be loaded with background information on Chinese society, sport and media provided by leading international experts.

We invite you as a sports scientist to submit papers, articles, links and other material of relevance to our site.

The goals of www.playthegameforopenjournalism.org are:


* To raise the quality of media coverage and public debate on the 2008 Olympic Summer Games in Beijing and its legacy
* To lay a basis for a strengthened direct dialogue between Chinese and non-Chinese organisations, individuals and stakeholders in relation to media issues
* To inspire to further progress in the development of freedom of expression in the People’s Republic of China through open, fact-based and respectful debate and dialogue
* To improve the quality of media coverage surrounding sports mega events and their legacies

Please submit your material to info@playthegame.org, and we will publish it as soon as practically possible with credits, link to your personal website (if available) etc.

Thank you in advance for helping journalists and the public to get the best possible Olympic journalism out of Beijing.

Best regards


Jens Sejer Andersen
Director
Play the Game
Jens@playthegame.org
Cell phone +45 20 71 07 01
(29 June-6 July and from 28 July)


Michael Herborn
Communications Manager
Play the Game
Michael@playthegame.org
Office +45 70 27 55 77
Cell phone +45 21 29 39 93


About the organisers:
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is the world's largest organisation of journalists. First established in 1926, it was relaunched in 1946 and again, in its present form, in 1952. Today the Federation represents around 600,000 members in more than 100 countries.


Play the Game is an independent non-profit organisation founded and funded by Danish sports organisations, as well as receiving significant funding from the Danish Ministry of Culture. Play the Game aims to strengthen the basic ethical values of sport and encourage democracy, transparency and freedom of expression in world sport.