The President of the Mauritanian Journalists’ Union, Mr Ahmed Taleb Ould Maâloum, visited the Mauritanian Football Federation in Nouakchott at midday on Thursday. He was received in his office by Federation President Mr Ahmed Ould Yahya.
The meeting discussed sports media issues, ways to deepen the partnership between the Federation and the Journalists’ Union, and facilitating the work of the sports press.
The Federation President expressed his appreciation for journalists’ efforts to cover national football news and their role in raising awareness of it.
Ould Yahya explained that remarks in his recent television interview, which might have seemed somewhat harsh and were understood as insulting to some journalists, were not intended to offend. Rather, he was defending the players and rejecting questions about their patriotism,
given the negative effects on their performance and on our people’s national unity and social cohesion.
The Federation President assured the Union President that he had no hesitation in apologising to the Union and its members in particular, and the national press generally, for remarks that had been understood as insulting in this context.
For his part, the Union President expressed his thanks and gratitude to the Federation President for his openness, explanations and willingness to work with the Union in defending journalists’ material and moral rights and enabling them to work in satisfactory conditions.
Ould Maâloum explained that the Union seeks to enable all journalists to carry out their noble media mission, away from anything that could threaten or undermine the people’s national unity and social cohesion.
Both parties concluded that constructive cooperation is necessary to facilitate their duties, serving the country generally and developing national football in particular.