The NMC has reached out to the Committee for the Protection of Journalists (CJP) to explore collaboration in regard to attacks on news-gatherers on assignment to cover major sports events.
The most recent case involved a Thomson Reuters photographer who was the subject of a violent street hijacking and attempted robbery after covering a football match in Lima, Peru.
In the attack, the woman photographer, her driver and her son who was also attending the match were ambushed after leaving the Libertadores soccer match at Alejandro Villanueva stadium in May.
The incident was considered by the NMC’s Event Intelligence Committee and earlier contact with the Committee for the Protection of Journalists has been followed up.
The NMC is looking to identify the scale of incidents of this nature so that it can make a case for sports authorities to take necessary steps.
The NMC is also keen to receive further reports of this nature and in relation to the Lima incident to make contact with the regional offices of NMC Members in Latin America in order to assemble evidence and identify the best means of approaching both the Peruvian Football Federation and CONMEBOL, the South American confederation.
The CJP does not curate incidents but its website links to advice on journalist safety here.
