Yemen Monitor/Newsroom:
Yemeni sports journalist Issam Al-Kamali has achieved a historic milestone by winning first place in the Photography Portfolio category at the 2024 AIPS Sport Media Awards for his creative work “Football: A Gateway to Peace.”
This came during the ceremony held in the Moroccan capital, Rabat, as part of the 87th AIPS Congress, surpassing more than 2,500 entries from 135 countries.
This victory is the first of its kind for Yemen in the senior category, after his colleague Akram Abdullah won the Young Reporters award in the previous edition, reflecting the development of Yemeni sports journalism and its increasing international presence despite the challenges and difficulties it faces.
British photographer Edward Whitaker came in second place for his work “Global Horse Racing,” while Italian Dario Belingheri finished third for “Moments from Cycling Sport.” The ceremony witnessed the distribution of awards in various categories, including Action Photo, Audio, Colour Story, Documentary, Investigative Reporting, and Young Reporters, with a wide attendance of elite sports media professionals from around the world.
The awards included outstanding works from various continents, such as “The Golden Moment” by Frenchman Jerome Prevost in the Action Photo category, and “Schumacher: The Legend’s Story” by German Jens Peter Giesdorf in the Audio category, in addition to prominent works from China, Kenya, Hungary, and Germany. Efforts to promote women’s sports, combat racism, support investigative journalism, and Paralympic coverage were also honored.
Bashir Sinan, Special Advisor to the President of the Asian Sports Press Union, praised this achievement, stressing that Issam Al-Kamali’s victory represents a historic moment in Yemeni sports journalism and embodies the belief of Yemeni journalists in their ability to overcome difficulties and reach global platforms.
Sinan said: “This victory is dedicated to every Yemeni journalist who works hard and believes in the message of human journalism that transcends borders, and we look forward to the continued active Yemeni presence on international podiums in the future.”
The ceremony also honored sports journalism icons, with the attendance of an international jury headed by Italian Gianni Merlo, and including prominent media figures from France, Germany, Japan, Australia, Morocco, and the US.
