WIKILEAKS, ASSANGE AND THE MODERN TENNIS REPORTERS IN THE USA. by Javier Palenque

A Tale of Two Tennis Reporters: Assange, the US Government, and the Art of Looking the Other Way.

Imagine the 2024 US Open, a tennis tournament where the top reporters are expected to deliver the most gripping, honest coverage of the matches and the sport. However, rather than focusing on the players' performance and integrity, some reporters are busy ignoring obvious breaches of conduct by the USTA (sexual abuse, waste of funds, outrageous prices, etc.) This scenario eerily parallels the dynamic between Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, and the US government, casting them in roles akin to tennis reporters who choose to ignore the corruption and problems in the sport. They pretend all is good when nothing is.

The Maverick Reporter: Julian Assange

Julian Assange can be likened to a maverick tennis reporter who breaks away from the pack. In the world of journalism, Assange took a bold approach by creating WikiLeaks, a platform designed to expose governmental and corporate malfeasance. Just as a keen-eyed tennis reporter might spotlight match-fixing or doping scandals, or corruption by the heads of the USTA hiding sexual abuse. Assange’s work aimed to shine a light on secrets and lies. Remember that Eugene Scott referred to the USTA heads as "bozos", why do you think that is, certainly not for doing things the right way.

WikiLeaks’ release of classified documents, including the infamous 2010 Iraq and Afghanistan war logs, revealed uncomfortable truths about US military operations. Assange argued that transparency was essential for democracy, much like a dedicated tennis reporter believes that uncovering corruption is vital for the integrity of the sport. His work exposed the dark underbelly of international relations, challenging the public to reconsider the narratives fed to them by traditional media.

The Established Authority: The US Government

In contrast, the US government represents the established tennis reporters who have long held sway over the narrative. These reporters, analogous to the government, often prioritize maintaining the status quo over exposing uncomfortable truths. When Assange and WikiLeaks released classified documents, the government responded with outrage and legal action, accusing Assange of endangering lives and national security.

This reaction is reminiscent of tennis reporters who, rather than investigating corruption in the sport, focus on maintaining their cozy relationship with powerful players, the Power Seven, (all Grand slams, WTA, ATP, and ITF), and sponsors. Just as these reporters might overlook a star player's or governing body's misconduct to preserve their access and status, the US government's pursuit of Assange can be seen as an effort to maintain control over the flow of information and deter future whistleblowers. The Saudi sport washing to cover the WTA’s failure as a business and the ATP claiming that Saudi money will grow the sport are of course absurd claims.

?The Double Fault: Ignoring Corruption

Both analogies highlight a critical issue: the peril of ignoring corruption. In the tennis world, when reporters fail to address unethical behavior, the integrity of the sport is compromised, leading to disillusionment among fans and players alike. Similarly, when governments and mainstream media neglect to hold powerful entities accountable, the public's trust erodes, fostering cynicism and disengagement.

Assange's supporters argue that his actions, though controversial, served the public interest by revealing hidden truths. They view him as a courageous reporter who refused to look the other way, even at great personal risk. On the other hand, critics argue that the way Assange released information was reckless and endangered lives, drawing a parallel to a reporter who sensationalizes stories without considering the consequences. The fact is the Iraq war was a scam and people died needlessly. The same logic applies when the reporters see the sport in its death bed, and yet still claim that the US Open is a measure of how American tennis is doing, we all know it measures nothing for tennis, it just keeps alive the failed status quo and keeps the revenue coming for the clan of incapables.

?A Call for Integrity

The saga of Julian Assange and the US government underscores the need for integrity in both journalism and governance. Just as tennis reporters must strive for unbiased, thorough reporting to maintain the sport's integrity, governments and the media must commit to transparency and accountability.

In the end, the comparison serves as a reminder that ignoring corruption, whether on the tennis court or in the corridors of power, only perpetuates wrongdoing. True progress and justice are achieved when individuals and institutions dare to confront uncomfortable truths, much like the maverick reporter who refuses to look the other way. How bad must the state of tennis be that the handful of reporters all look the other way to sexual abuse, corruption, sports betting, and outrageous ticket prices? These folks are not reporters, they are simply pawns of the establishment. There are very few left, this is the state of tennis, in demise.

To the handful of tennis reporters, I liked to think you would do good by the sport that has been good to you by reporting the truth and holding the powers that be accountable, now watching you or reading you has no purpose, when I see you as part of the Ol’ boys’ network, nothing you say or write brings back value to your work. In case you have failed to realize, the status quo has aged you too. This also means no future for you, so try to write about a retired or soon-to-retire star to the last interested audiences.

This is why reporters need to always be critical and separate from the positions of power. In some parts of the world, that is called being part of the Banana Republic, which is where you should never want to be. I hope you realize that if you are not part of the solution, inevitably you are part of the problem, there is no in-between. New York Times, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Tennis Channel, and others, why don't you tell us how important tennis is for you as an employer? Then you will realize the reality of tennis in the USA under the incapable Ol' Boys, it has died, and you chose not to report it. Plop!

I say no to ineptitude and YES to growing the game.

I can be reached at [email protected]