sport

Representing sports journalists worldwide

Charles Camenzuli is proud to be the general secretary of the Association Internationale de la Presse Sportive, which represents around 30,000 sports journalists from 142 countries worldwide. Today he speaks to RAY ABDILLA about his career and recalls some of his fondest memories in sports journalism.

When did you start working in journalism?
At the age of 47 years I still cannot decide if I am a born or self-made journalist. Joking apart, I still remember being a child and wherever I went I used to carry with me a whole satchel filled with all sorts of publications, such as old copies of ‘Pronostku’. I was also always curious about anything and everything. By the time I was 12 years old I already had a good collection of sports magazines, especially local ones published by Emmanuel B.Pace, as well as annuals by Robbie DeCesare. I studied Business Management at the old Polytechnic in Msida and in October 1974 an advert appeared in In-Nazzjon for a vacancy in the Sports Department. I met the renowned Benny Pace who within a couple of days gave me my first assignment. I still remember what it was; Vittoriosa Stars – Melita from the 2nd. Division League. It was a doubly enjoyable experience since I was born in Vittoriosa.

Was there anyone who influenced you?
Personally I try not to be influenced by anyone, however during my first years I was influenced by Mr Pace. The 70’s, however, were difficult years for me from many aspects, as a youth, as a journalist as well as the effect of the daily agenda.
I was also affected by my surroundings - the 50 metre area within Irish Street, (now Triq Wenzu Dyer) in Vittoriosa became synonymous with people like sports administrator Lino Bugeja, soprano Miriam Gauci, ex Labour minister Charles Buhagiar, sculptor Joseph Genuis, Vittoriosa major John Boxall, illusionist Lorenzo ……and of course myself.

How do you think sports journalism has evolved in Malta?
The 70’s produced a string of journalists who through enthusiasm gave a different vision of sport. Foreign influence played an important role and I must say that by the 80’s with the development of the print media, the setting up of various radio stations and in the late 90’s the new trend of TV journalism, sport media gathered great momentum. However, this unfortunately gave way in some cases to ‘garbage journalism’ or as the Italians say, ‘giornalismo da spazzatura’, the philosophy being the less deep I go into the subject, the better.

Which sports do you normally cover?
During my first years in the sport media I used to cover mainly football. At times I used to report six games every weekend from the Gzira Stadium. However in recent years besides being involved in media administration, I have tried to specialise in international multi-sport events. During the last decade I rarely missed a big event. I have covered four consecutive Olympic Games, three football World Cups, five consecutive Mediterranean Games, all editions of the GSSE, besides university games, military games and world championships in athletics and table tennis, among others.

Can you recall one of your best moments ever in journalism?
Definitely, it was April 1989 at Gothenburg when at the age of 34 I was elected onto the Executive Board of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS). I was proud to find out that I was the youngest representative to be elected on the board since 1924.

You have also met and interviewed some great sports stars. Which experiences stay in your mind?
I can say that since 1974 I have interviewed some of the world’s top sporting stars. It all started with my first interview for In-Nazzjon when, on 14 April 1975 Benny Pace sent me to interview PELE’. I have since met Pele quite a number of times, which probably explains why one of my favourite mementos is one of the last number10 Santos shirts. After Pele’ the list is vast. It includes Puskas, Hurst, Charlton, Jairzinho, Keegan, Lineker, Havelange and Ramsey. There have also been a good number of Olympians, as well as Juan Antonio Samarach and recently, Jacques Rogge. Most of these interviews were done abroad. I hope to compile them along with my recollections in a book marking 30 years in the sports media.

What does your work as general secretary of the AIPS consist of?
The Association Internationale de la Presse Sportive was founded in 1924 and embraces the world professional sport media representing 30,000 professional journalists from 142 countries. It is a daily challenge having to deal with matters of international standards and of being a policy maker for the world media. However in Malta I try to keep my profile as low as possible. My opinion is that in Malta the less you’re in the limelight the better.
I was elected ‘officially’ as general secretary in 2001 during the Toronto Congress. I say officially because for the past three years I was already doing the job informally while holding the role of finance secretary. I was elected uncontested but asked for a secret vote which resulted with a 98 % credit. In 1997 in Oviedo I was elected once more as finance secretary, getting 85% of the votes against Mick Michels of Belgium who is one of the leading media delegates in FIFA and UEFA.
For the last 12 years I have also been general secretary of the Media Commission of the International Committee of the Mediterranean Games, and chairman of the GSSE AIPS Standing Committee since 1993.

What’s next for Charles Camenzuli?
My career in AIPS is only 13 years old. The next Congress in Athens will approve the change in the 50-year-old statutes. I have some time to go before I retire, but I hope to get an appointment within the Media Commission of the International Olympic Committee.
The AIPS Headquarters are based in Budapest, Hungary. At the moment the route Malta – Frankfurt – Budapest has become a shuttle service for me. Almost every month I have to make my presence felt at the HQ. In between I have other meetings around the world. At times no one notices that I am absent as my frequent trip are often restricted to a couple of days only. But then at the end of the year I realize that about 100 days are spent abroad.
For the past 21 years I have also been general secretary of the Ghaqda Kittieba Sports. I have formed part of the organising committee for 20 editions of the ‘Ghazliet Sportivi Nazzjonali,’ and spent nine years on the executive of the Malta Olympic Committee, but above all I still consider that I can give a lot more to the sports media. Sports media administration in Malta unfortunately remains limited in various aspects, irrespective of the goodwill of many of its members.

Any sour moments during your career?
I must say that it was prior to the 1998 World Cup finals in France. As AIPS I have an automatic media accreditation. But although I filed my application for accreditation through the right channels, i.e. through the MFA (as I always stress that I am proud to be accredited as Media – Malta) the answer received was that I didn’t qualify for one of the two accreditations allotted. The MFA refusal was faxed to FIFA who in return offered red carpet treatment.
I don’t think I have yet fully recovered from the passing away of fellow colleague John Debattista, which has left me filled with great sadness. For me, perhaps more than others, John was more than a colleague, he was like the older brother I never had. The 29th.November 1997 left a sad mark on my career. I can honestly say that his death tremendously affected many sports sectors on the island.

What changes would you like to see in Maltese sports?
Once you start proposing changes you need to have adequate answers. If you tackle the problem of sports administration the area is restricted. And the question is can Malta do without sports administrators like Bertie Muscat, Lino Bugeja, Lewis Portelli, and Gino Camilleri who for some reason or another have all said…stop! For instance what happened to the much-awaited ‘Law for Sport’? And what about sports media? The situation is at times worrying. It’s easy to recall the Tonio Farrugia case, the recent Simon Farrugia case and perhaps a couple of others which get swept under the carpet. I could suggest concentrating on training young media colleagues in countries like Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore and Nigeria. It must be worth the effort.

What are your views on sports sponsorships in Malta?
This is a hot potato. Central Cigarettes have called it a day after many years of pumping hundreds of thousand of liri into sports, the Parliamentary Secretary for Sport is the main sponsor for the Malta Olympic Committee. The rest have to go round the houses. How long this will last? And what about matters like insurance? There’s so much to think of – the problems are very real.