Sports Gazette Code of Practice

The Sports Gazette is an independent, not for profit digital sports magazine. It does not publish sponsored content.

1. General Principles

The Sports Gazette believes in the notion of ‘fair play’ and justice in sport and society. We are committed to telling the truth and to be fair and accurate. We will report on all areas of sport without fear or favour and we aim to hold people in power to account. When making allegations against organisations and individuals we will give them the right to reply.

2. Accuracy

2.1 The SG will take care not to publish inaccurate, misleading, or distorted information or images, including headlines not supported by the text. A significant inaccuracy, misleading statement or distortion will be corrected, promptly and with due prominence, and where appropriate, include a public apology.

2.2 We are committed to truthful and factual reporting. We will make a clear distinction between facts and our personal opinions about them. The SG is free to editorialise and campaign, but we must always make clear distinctions between comment, conjecture and fact.

2.3 Any writer who intentionally publishes inaccurate information (e.g., makes up a  quote) or knowingly makes false allegations will be immediately suspended from the SG.

2.4 All our writers will be trained to understand the laws on defamation, libel, copyright and ‘fair dealing’. They will also have access to legal advice if required.

Standards

3.1 Impartiality is often cited as a key element of journalism but being impartial or
neutral is not a core principle of the SG or indeed journalism. We acknowledge that our writers and editors are not free from bias, but we will make independent judgements based on professional methods of verification and that we will fairly represent different points of view. The SG does not proclaim to be objective, but our journalistic methods should be.

3.2 We are also committed to methods of verification in the fight against fake news, propaganda, sensationalism, and trivialisation.

3.3 We aim to to avoid ‘churnalism’ and ‘clickbait’.

3.4 We don’t rip stories or content from other news organisations. We will cite interviews or quotes from other publications and apply the principles of ‘fair dealing’ for our news content.

3.5 We aim to use appropriate language that:

• adheres to a style guide
  • avoids cliché and sensationalism
  • avoids offensive and discriminatory language

3.6 The SG will promote the values of fair play in sport.

3.7 We reject invitations and gifts from teams, sponsors and promoters that could call our integrity into question.

Privacy

4.1 Everyone is entitled to respect for his or her private and family life, home, health and correspondence, including digital communications.

4.2 We will not photograph individuals, without their consent, in public or private places where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy. We have the right to take photos or film players and fans at any public sporting event but will seek consent for children’s sports.

4.3 Children will not be approached or photographed at school or a school sporting event without permission of the school authorities.

4.4 Children under 16 will not be interviewed or photographed on issues involving their own or another child’s welfare unless a custodial parent or similarly responsible adult consents.

4.5 We will not use the fame, notoriety or position of a sports person, parent, or guardian as sole justification for publishing any details of a child’s private life.

4.6 We don’t report on the private lives of sportspeople unless the information is relevant to understanding the athletes’ performance or is in the public interest.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

5.1 The Sports Gazette will avoid prejudicial or pejorative references to race, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or to any physical or mental illness or disability.

5.2 Details of people’s race, colour, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical or mental illness or disability will only be referenced if it is relevant to the story.

5.3 To address the long-standing underrepresentation of women’s sport across the media, the SG is not only dedicated to promoting equality for women in sport, but also defending the integrity of women’s sport. Misogyny, sexism and stereotyping are unacceptable and will be challenged by the SG.

5.3 The SG is a proud anti-racist publication and actively campaigns against all forms of bigotry in sport and society. We take the view that anti-racism is different to being non-racist. It means we will actively challenge overt and institutional racism in sport and the media. It shapes our editorial decisions and the stories we cover.

5.4 Sport is not ‘war minus the shooting’, so we aim to avoid using warlike, chauvinistic language, as well as publishing expressions and images that legitimate any form of violence towards individuals or groups of people.

5.5 We aim to cover underrepresented and ‘minority’ sports that generate news to expand citizens’ sporting culture.

5.6 The SG aims to publish content that goes beyond the sporting arena to raise public awareness about the relevant social, political, and cultural contexts that exist within sport.