By Roya Adil
HERAT, July 27, 2016 – Thewestern zone (Herat) and Central Zone (Ghazni) branches of the national sportsjournalists’ association was officially opened by the president of the AfghanistanSports Journalists’ Federation and the EC members of ASJF this week.
Sports journalists of bothzones, officials of the NOC and sports organizations, and local journalistsattended the opening ceremony and expressed hope that ASJF will work towardspromoting sports journalism across the country.
President of ASJF SayerZaland said during his speech at the opening of the ASJF western zone branch thatthe association was there to support sports journalists. “We are fighting for therights of sports journalists, it was necessary to have journalists in Herat working insport in the zone,” Zaland said.
He added further that ASJF have a plan to organizemore workshops and training courses for young reporters and teach them newmethods of sports journalism.
Zalandwas delighted and said opening of the branches were very important for sportsjournalism in the country and region.
ASJFannounced that Herat sports journalist Firooz Mahoof would be the branch representativeexpressed hope that in the upcoming six months the branch will organizeelections for the new board in the zone.
FiroozMashoof said that the opening of this branch in Herat was very significant forthis city. He said this will help all the situation of sport in Herat.
Mashoofexplained Herat is a sport city in Afghanistan. He added: “The opening of this branchthat has organized, talented people in sport especially in football willencourage the players and the owners of the team to work harder.”
Inthe same week it was a pleasure for the Afghanistan Sports journalistsFederation to open the second branch of the ASJF in the Ghazni province, to belead by Jamil Weqar.
TheAfghanistan Sports Journalists Federation officially began its functions in theGhazni Province, where its doors first opened with the goal of improving sportsand the capacity building of sports journalists in the country.
Membersof the provincial council, director of DoCI, the chief of Ghazni Olympic, officialsof cricket board, members of Milli Radio & Television and many journalists tookpart in the opening ceremony held in the Directorate of Information and Cultureof Ghazni.
Inhis opening speech, Jamil Weqar, a representative of ASJF, welcomed all participantsand said that ASJF started its functions in Afghanistan in 2014 and became amember of International Sports Press Association in 2015. This federation isworking for improving sports and for the capacity building of sportsjournalists in Afghanistan, Weqar added.
Accordingto him, ASJF is working in seven zones in Afghanistan and so far it has amembership of 123 sports journalists. Jamil Weqar explained that the purpose ofthe branch in Ghazni is to create a harmony between journalists and sportsassociations and to work for the betterment of sports and for improving the skillsof sports journalists.
Thedirector of culture and information expressed his happiness on the opening ofASJF’s Ghazni branch added it was achievement of all the journalists in Ghazni.He said that it is responsibility of journalists to work for sports inAfghanistan as sports have basic role in the prosperity of the country.
Chiefof Afghanistan’s Journalist Federation Asadullah Jalalzai also expressed hisexcitement on the opening of this office and promised that his team willsupport and cooperate with ASJF.
