Investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, has received a special award for investigative journalism at the inaugural AIPS Sports Media Awards.
The award comes less than a week after the killing of an investigator with the TigerEye PI agency, Ahmed Hussein-Suale, who played an integral role in the #Number12 exposé that uncovered corruption in African football, for which Anas received the honours.
Before Anas addressed the audience at the event in Lausanne, Switzerland, a minute’s silence was observed in memory of Ahmed Suale.
Anas dedicated the award to Ahmed, and reiterated that despite the unfortunate incident, he and his team remained resolute in their desire to root out corruption in the society.
“I receive this award in honour of my colleague, Ahmed Hussein. I know that he would have been with me to receive this award, but for the unfortunate incident. If there’s any message that Ahmed would have loved me to give to you all you, it would have been a simple one that we will never surrender because journalism is not a crime”, Anas said in his speech.
Presenting the award, the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) president, Gianni Merlo, described investigative journalism as “one of the tools for our future. We must investigate to keep the sport clean. We need to celebrate our colleagues who are risking their lives.”
