The Tico Times has filed an appeal before the Constitutional Court against the Federación Costarricense de Fútbol (Fedefut), after the association denied the online media press passes to the World Cup Qualifying match between Costa Rica and the United States on Friday.
On its website, the Tico Times accuses the Fedefut for “violating the right to access information and arbitrarily denying the English-language publication the right to serve its readership”.
Fedefut stated The Tico Times was not accredited for the match because the site only covers Costa Rica national team matches. The Vice-prsident of the Fedefut, Noel Ivo Campos, told AmeliaRueda.com that the Tico Times probably did not provide the application for accreditation on time and said that in the communication department Fedefut informed him that “the Tico Times has never paid attention to covering the other games”.
For this reason, Tico Times editor-in-chiel David Boddiger file the appeal with the Court.
The Tico Times says that Fedefut communications director, Joseyln Hernández, wrote that The Tico Times needed to cover other association-sponsored events “including practices and other activities” and was offered one pass. However, Boddiger told the radio program Nuestra Voz, the pass had been revoked when confirming its pickup.
Fedefut says spaces are limited, having receive more than 700 applications for accreditation from the national and international media.
At AmeliaRueda.com, executive director, Antonio Jimenez, said it was understandable for the limited space at the stadium and that it also was denied accreditation, with the argument that “only media with continuous coverage of games” would be accredited.
The Tico Times argues that it has received accreditations for prior Costa Rica matches against Spain, Brazil and Venezuela. The Tico Times attended the last Costa Rica-United States World Cup qualifying match in 2009. Founded in 1956, the Tico Times ended their print publication last September and became strictly an online publication.
