Andrew Jennings
British reporter, author
Andrew Jennings is an investigative reporter, writer and film maker. Works for British and foreign press, TV and radio as an investigative reporter, presenter, producer, consultant and commentator. He lectures at universities and media organisations world-wide on international sports politics, investigative journalism techniques - and how to write investigations stylishly and humorously.
Specialist areas: International organised crime, the politics of international sport.
Books:
1989: Scotland Yard's Cocaine Connection. Random House. The story of the strange relationship between London's top gangster and the city's top detective - and how the cop never arrested the crook - and Britain's biggest ever cocaine importation.
1992: The Lords of the Rings was a smash hit translated into 13 languages. The Lords and its disclosures of Olympic corruption and the fascist background of the IOC president changed forever world perceptions of the organisation. Published in USA as Dishonest Games.
1996: The New Lords of the Rings: Olympic Corruption & How to Buy Gold Medals. Top of the UK best-selling sports books list for five weeks and in top ten of all sports books published that year. Translated into German, Danish, Norwegian, Japanese and Spanish. Pirated in Chinese - twice, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and in Korean.
2000: The Great Olympic Swindle. The explosive story on organised crime and the Olympics, on how the IOC fooled the world into thinking it reformed itself after the scandals - and the secret documents revealing how the IOC spent USD2 million on American spindoctors to fool the media.
In the UK Andrew Jennings has written in recent years for the Financial Times, The Sunday Times, The Times, The Guardian, The Observer, The Daily Telegraph, Private Eye and New Statesman.
On radio in the UK, Jennings broadcasts on several BBC channels including the world service.
On BBC Radio Five he has presented On The Line, the sports investigation programme and "Seven Brides for One Brother," his documentary about polygamy in Utah. And in 2000, a four-part documentary based on his new book. And a 50-minute TV film on similar stories.
On television in the UK, Jennings worked for BBC-TV and then World In Action for many years, producing and presenting. In the past two years he has fronted two World in Actions, he consults to Channel Four News and Panorama, and guests on various sports programmes.
Media Biography:
Late 1960s worked for Sunday Times Insight team. Then worked for most of British national press - tabloids and broadsheets - as reporter or production journalist. In late 1970s joined BBC Radio Four as an investigative reporter [Checkpoint] and then moved to BBC TV Nationwide.
1986: When BBC refused to transmit his one-hour film about corruption at Scotland Yard he resigned, wrote Scotland Yard's Cocaine Connection and re-made the programme for World In Action. Stayed with Granada for 5 years, filming investigations world-wide, winning Gold Medal at New York TV Festival in 1989 for investigation of British involvement in Iran-Contra scandal.
1993: Led the first Western TV crew into Chechnia [for Carlton TV] to investigate Mafia clans in the Caucasus
1993: Co-presented Bus Stop series on BBC Radio Four.
1997: Back working for World In Action [Led investigation into former UK Olympic swimming coach Hamilton Bland] Second appearance on BBC-2 Hypotheticals.
1998: Presented World In Action on rail privatisation. Jennings also writes for publications in America, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Catalonia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand Russia, South Africa, and Switzerland.
Awards:
2000: Royal Television Society Award for Channel Four News feature about Olympic corruption.
1999: The first award for "Integrity in Journalism" from OATH, a new grouping of Olympic stars dedicated to cleaning up sport. Presented at the UN Building in New York.
1998: Copenhagen: Highly respected Gerlev prize for "contribution to free speech and democracy in sport"
1996: Honorary Life Member of American Swimming Coaches Association. (I'm a terrible swimmer - this one was for exposing doping cover-ups at the Olympics.)
1992: William Hill Sports Book of the Year Competition. Runner-up to Nick Hornby's Fever Pitch.
1992: New York TV Festival. Gold medal for best international documentary. One hour special on Olympic corruption, sold to 40 countries.
1990: New York TV Festival. Gold medal for best international documentary. World In Action on British involvement in the Iran-Contra scandal.
1989: London: Royal Television Society: Shortlisted for best investigative documentary. World In Action on police corruption in London.
Presentations at Play the Game conferences:
To investigate FIFA, go to Palermo - Play the Game 2013 (PDF)
2018: England in the iron grip of Jack Warner - Play the Game 2009 (PDF)
FIFA: An era of corruption nears its end - Play the Game 2007(PDF)
FIFA - Hiding the Bribes? - Play the Game 2005 (PDF)