The Sports Intelligence Unit
The Sport Intelligence Unit (SIU) network was founded at the first Play the Game conference in 1997 and mainly served as a communication network for conference participants. The SIU activities was built into Play the Game when it became an independent institution in 2004.
The Sports Intelligence Unit is a voluntary, independent network for individual sports journalists and sports researchers. SIU regards the free flow of information and an open public debate as essential for democratic development.
SIU sees neither sport nor journalism as standardizable commodities accessible to the highest bidders on the market. On the contrary, sport and journalism should stay easily accessible goods, being manifold expressions of the cultural richness of mankind.
The purposes of SIU are:
- to defend freedom of expression in sports - at all levels, under all circumstances and in any place of the world
- to promote a free flow of information and stimulate public debate on the economics, politics and culture of sports
- to further international contacts and exchange between journalists and researchers working on the above mentioned matters
- to raise the level of sports journalism through internet and printed publications, seminars, meetings etc.
SIU does not forward information on sports results, international championships or other highly advertised sports events.
Membership is open for any individual media professional or scientific researcher interested in the history, sociology, medicine, psychology, economy, politics, culture or other vital aspect of sports. Membership is free of charge.
Members must:
- accept giving the necessary data for a public membership list.
- be prepared to support and advise each others to the widest possible extent, when help for national or international research is required.
- do their best to provide the SIU-editors regularly with brief summaries of important national or international news, articles, TV and radio programmes, sports events relevant to SIU-purpose etc.
You can see the present members of SIU here