Agencies Stage Boycott In Irb Media Row

A dispute between the International Rugby Board and the media has escalated
after an alliance of major news and picture agencies boycotted coverage of a
press call ahead of the Rugby World Cup.

An alliance of five international agencies – which includes Reuters,
Associated Press and Agence France Presse – refused to distribute any copy, text
or footage of an Adidas press event to global media subscribers in a stand-off
with the IRB over media restrictions.

The press event, which featured former France football captain Zinedine
Zidane and the New Zealand All Blacks, was the culmination of a competition run
by Adidas in August to find young people to come and meet the sports stars on
show.

The agencies are fighting against IRB media restrictions such as that no
organisation can post more than 40 images or three minutes of news conference or
‘locker room’ video online during any match.

With the row unlikely to go away, it is understood that some newspaper
associations are threatening to remove mentions of sponsors from coverage in a
bid to increase pressure on the IRB.

The five international agencies have agreed not to cover ‘pre-tournament
events and training sessions’ ahead of the World Cup, which starts tonight.

The IRB has reacted angrily to the move by the news agencies, calling it
‘unjustifiable’ and stating that ‘there is nothing in the media terms and
conditions that prevent media organisations carrying out their core business and
covering the tournament.’