The Secretary-General of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG), Charles Osei Asibey, has challenged sports journalists at the AIPS Africa Congress in Banjul, The Gambia, to pursue a form of investigative journalism that exposes corruption while safeguarding the foundations of African sports institutions.

According to Osei Asibey, the mission of the African sports journalist should be to reveal the rot within the system while simultaneously protecting the structure of the house they are trying to clean.

He stressed that investigative journalism must be impactful, not destructive, noting that the modern sports journalist wields immense power that can either serve as a catalyst for growth or become fuel for institutional collapse. He therefore urged his colleagues to recognise this difference before embarking on any investigative venture.

The experienced SWAG secretary-general argued that while investigative journalism remains vital in exposing the truth, it must be wielded with the precision of a surgeon rather than the recklessness of a wrecking ball. He emphasised that the true measure of a journalist’s work is not the wreckage left behind, but the positive reforms it inspires.

To illustrate the cost of destructive journalism, he recalled the painful lesson of Ghana’s CAN 2008 ‘Abon Wo Ha’ scandal. While the investigation exposed deep-rooted rot and the need for accountability, the resulting fallout led successive governments to withdraw from hosting future major tournaments.

This, he said, brought global embarrassment to Ghana and caused the country to lose major opportunities to showcase its capabilities through hosting international events—opportunities that could have driven critical infrastructure development.

The setback stalled sports development for years and stood as a stark example of how sensationalism, without a focus on constructive impact, can haunt a nation’s progress.

The discourse then shifted to the more recent Kwesi Nyantakyi saga, which brought Ghana football to a standstill.

Osei Asibey noted that while the investigation successfully exposed corruption, it also acted as a double-edged sword. Sponsorships dried up, local leagues were paralysed, and the national team struggled to recover from the institutional vacuum that followed.

He urged journalists to be mindful of this power, ensuring that their reporting seeks to reform institutions rather than simply annihilating them and leaving a void in their wake.

Expanding his scope, Osei Asibey cited Nigeria’s experience, noting that the country has not hosted a major international tournament since the 2003 African Games in Abuja. He attributed this largely to a cycle of controversies and corruption allegations which, though often grounded in truth, were handled in ways that undermined long-term development.

These regional examples, he said, serve as a sobering warning that when investigative journalism focuses only on the “gotcha” moment without regard for the long-term health of sport, it risks creating permanent stagnation.

In contrast, the sports administrator pointed to Morocco as a model of constructive collaboration between the media and the state.

By fostering a supportive and transparent environment, Morocco has successfully hosted major tournaments, including the Africa Cup of Nations and World Cup qualifiers. This synergy, he argued, demonstrates that transparency and national interest can coexist, offering a blueprint for how impactful journalism can strengthen a country’s global sporting reputation.

Addressing young journalists at the congress, Mr Osei Asibey emphasised that the ultimate goal must always be to uplift communities and sports institutions. He warned that a purely destructive approach creates a culture of fear, where doors are shut and sources disappear in self-preservation.

True impact, he said, requires long-term credibility. If the media becomes synonymous with practices that ignore the broader national interest, the very fans and athletes the press seeks to protect will eventually turn away in distrust.

As he concluded, Osei Asibey called on editors and media houses to prioritise transparency, accountability and good governance over the short-term gratification of social media engagement. He urged journalists to reject the “burn it all down” mentality, reminding them that they are custodians of sports history.

The value of a story, he insisted, is measured by the positive change it sparks—not by the number of institutions it topples.

He concluded by calling on African journalists to embrace a renewed sense of responsibility, stressing that investigative journalism remains the lifeblood of accountability, but must always be practised with a duty to the future of African sports.