Pap Saine in Rabat accepting his award/ Fifa President Infantino
The honour was bestowed at a special ceremony held at the FIFA Africa Headquarters in Rabat, Morocco, on the margins of the ongoing continental football activities, bringing together senior figures from African football and the sports media fraternity.
Pap Saine is widely regarded as one of Africa’s most respected and accomplished sports journalists. His illustrious career spans nearly five decades of professional service, during which he reported on an impressive 16 Africa Cup of Nations tournaments between 1978 and 2006, documenting the growth and evolution of Africa’s flagship football competition.
Beyond AFCON, Pap Saine also covered three FIFA World Cup tournaments—Italy 1990, USA 1994, and France 1998—further cementing his status as a journalist of global standing.
In recognition of his impact, he received an award from the Moroccan Football Federation during the 1988 AFCON hosted in Morocco, honoring his role in promoting and contributing to the success of the tournament. His service to African football extended beyond reporting, as he served as a CAF Media Officer from 1998 to 2004, playing a key role in strengthening media operations and communication across CAF competitions.
Pap Saine also served with Reuters as the dean on the African continent, a role through which he mentored generations of journalists and upheld the highest standards of international journalism. In total, he has accumulated 49 years of distinguished professional experience.
In his acceptance remarks, Pap thanked the SJAG for his nomination and the General secretary of Aips Africa for his support. “So, please accept my token of appreciation for this mark of honour AIPS/Africa has bestowed on me. I thank you all so much.
And my special thanks to the General Secretary of AIPS/Africa, Musa Sisay, for his support, as well as to the media fraternity especially the Gambia Sports Journalists Association that endorsed my nomination and to all Gambians for their support of me.
This award is not only a sign of encouragement; it also serves as an inspiration for young sports journalists to be committed to their job. So I want to thank you all for this historic occasion, and pray that we see more of it as the world of sport advances”. Pap Concluded.
Currently, Pap Saine serves as the Honorary President of the Sports Journalists Association of The Gambia, continuing to inspire and guide young journalists through leadership and example.
The joint recognition by AIPS Africa and CAF celebrates not only Pap Saine’s longevity, but his integrity, professionalism, and unmatched contribution to the development of African football journalism. His career remains a benchmark of excellence and a lasting legacy for sports media in Africa.
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