In a statement yesterday, Print Media South Africa (PMSA) and the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) came out against the International Rugby Board (IRB) and the Australian Football League’s (AFL) attempts to restrict media coverage of the Rugby World Cup and the Australian Football League games this year.

Sanef and PMSA join the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) and a coalition of leading news agencies in protesting the proposed limits.

The IRB is attempting to impose severe restrictions for media accreditation at the Rugby World Cup in France, as well as conditions limiting media coverage. These include allowing only five still photographs per half time and two per extra time, as well as a ban on photo sales subject to conditions determined by the Rugby World Cup Limited (RWCL).

"Sanef and PMSA state that these restrictions and rules are unacceptable and are a gross interference with press freedom and United Nations endorsed principles of upholding the widest access to information and its dissemination,” the statement said.

Source: IOL.com