The Sports Journalists Association of Kenya (SJAK) has condemned a growing pattern of hostility towards journalists at sporting events after its member Ruckiel Odikor was assaulted on the final day of HSBC SVNS 2 at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi on February 15, 2026.

In a statement on Tuesday, SJAK said it had taken note of the incident involving Odikor during the global event and immediately moved to engage key stakeholders.

In the hours following the incident, the association prioritised consultations with the affected journalist, event organisers, the Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) and relevant security agencies to establish the facts and safeguard its member’s welfare.

Having now engaged all parties, SJAK strongly condemned the physical handling and intimidation directed at Odikor in the course of duty. The association said its statement was not only a response to a single incident, but also a broader advisory on media safety across all sporting events in Kenya.

“Journalism is not a crime, and a sports venue must never become a place of fear for accredited media professionals,” the association stated.

SJAK, however, acknowledged the co-operation shown so far by KRU and the security apparatus, noting that efforts toward a swift resolution were ongoing.

The association emphasised that the matter goes beyond one sport or event. It noted that the safety of journalists affects football, athletics, rugby, boxing, basketball, volleyball, motorsport and every other discipline where accredited media operate. An attack on a sports journalist, it added, is an attack on sports reporting in Kenya.

SJAK expressed concern over what it described as a growing pattern of hostility towards journalists covering sporting events. These include intimidation, obstruction of coverage, confiscation of equipment and physical harassment. According to Sjak, such incidents point to a systemic gap in the understanding and management of media relations within the sporting ecosystem.

It reiterated that no breach of protocol, disagreement or misunderstanding can justify physical force against a journalist, describing such actions as violations of labour rights, professional ethics and basic human dignity.

While acknowledging that sports environments can be competitive and emotional, SJAK said officials, stewards, technical benches and security personnel are expected to maintain professionalism at all times. Where a journalist is deemed to have violated venue regulations, the response must be administrative and procedural rather than physical.

Appropriate measures, the association said, include withdrawal of accreditation, referral to the respective media house or referral to SJAK for internal disciplinary processes. “Physical confrontation can never be an enforcement mechanism and will not be tolerated,” it explained.

At the same time, SJAK stressed that journalists also carry professional responsibility. Any conduct falling below acceptable standards would be addressed internally through established disciplinary structures, underscoring that professionalism must be mutual.

To prevent future incidents, SJAK called for its inclusion in Local Organising Committees for major international and high-risk local sporting events. Early planning involving the media body, it said, would ensure proper zoning, access protocols and security briefings to minimise friction and misunderstanding.

The association warned that when journalists operate under threat, coverage suffers, athletes lose visibility and sport loses commercial value. Protecting journalists, it said, ultimately protects sport itself.

Where organisers repeatedly fail to guarantee the safety of accredited journalists, SJAK signalled it may issue formal advisories to media houses, withdraw pooled coverage arrangements or recommend non-coverage of events that do not meet basic safety and professional access standards.

Calling for zero tolerance for violence in sporting venues, SJAK urged a shift from confrontation to professional co-operation. “A journalist’s tools are the pen and the camera, not self-defence. Our duty is to tell the story of sport and not to survive it,” the association said, reaffirming its commitment to dialogue, accountability and constructive partnership to ensure safe and respectful working environments.