The ban on a Guardian reporter attending the inaugural European Games means it appears just one full-time UK national newspaper reporter will be covering Baku 2015.
The Evening Standard, which ran an eight-page supplement on the games yesterday (pictured), has sent a reporter, who will also submit content for sister title The Independent.
However, Press Gazette has been told by well-placed sources in sports journalism that no other national newspaper staff have been sent, with others relying on agency copy.
Staff on The Times, Sun, Telegraph, Mirror and Mail have confirmed to Press Gazette that they have not sent anyone to Azerbaijan.
Press Association, one of the agencies newspapers will rely on, has sent one reporter and no photographers. This compares with 20 journalists and photographers that PA had working on the 2013 Wimbledon final.
Meanwhile, Sky Sports News has not sent any journalists to Baku and the BBC has sent four.
Press Gazette called the Baku 2015 press office this morning after it emerged that The Guardian’s Owen Gibson had been ‘banned’ from attending the games. It is understood that this was a decision made by the government rather than the games organisers.
Jayne Pearce, press operations consultant at Baku 2015, said that “just under 100” British media representatives had applied for accreditation for the games.
Press Gazette has asked the BBC and Sky Sports how many staff they have sent.
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