Irish Examiner view: Media access to athletes plays an important role

Speculation of a media ban from Rowing Ireland during Olympics has been explained

The New National Stadium, the main stadium for the Tokyo Olympics  Picture: Yuichi Yamazaki/Getty Images

Talk of Rowing Ireland imposing a media ban on Ireland’s Olympic rowing team until after the Tokyo Games appears, thankfully, to have been wide of the mark.

The rowing body had been reported as imposing a media ban to manage public expectations and protect the rowers’ mental health. It has now clarified that athletes will continue to facilitate media requests “depending on their ongoing preparations, training and upcoming travel”.