Baku, July 2, AZERTAC

World Sports Journalists Day is celebrated every year on July 2, according to National Today. Also referred to as International Sports Journalists Day, the holiday was created in 1994 by the International Sports Press Association to celebrate its 70th anniversary. Sports journalism developed during the 1800s but was centered on elitist sports and was more focused on reporting the social context of sports events. In the 1920s, the profession began to take shape as newspapers dedicated more time and space to sports journalism.

In 1994, the International Sports Press Association (A.I.P.S.) celebrated World Sports Journalists Day for the first time in honor of its 70th anniversary. In 1924, the A.I.P.S. was founded in Paris, France as the L’Association Internationale de la Presse Sportive. However, the association is now headquartered in the Olympic capital of Lausanne, Switzerland. The A.I.P.S. is an independent organization with 160 member associations, from which it receives funding through membership fees and the contributions of other international bodies and federations.

According to its website, the aim of the A.I.P.S. is “to enhance the cooperation between its member associations in defending sport and the professional interest of members, to strengthen the friendship, solidarity, and common interests between sports journalists of all nations, and to assure the best possible working conditions for members.”

Sports journalism is a type of writing that focuses on sports-centered topics. Sports journalism developed in the 1800s, specifically the 1820s and 1830s. At the onset, reporting focused primarily on elite sports such as horse racing and boxing, mainly targeted at the upper class since newspapers were beyond the reach of the masses. However, the development of the penny press opened the door to affordable newspaper production, ultimately making them more accessible to the lower strata of society. The 20th century witnessed a massive boom in the popularity of sports journalism. In 1880, only 0.4% of space was dedicated to sports in newspapers. This figure rose to 20% by the 1920s, as newspapers began hiring reporters exclusively for sports coverage. Today, sports journalism utilizes not only print media but also radio, television, and the Internet.