Mentor Phil Humphreys: Turning his passion into a profession at the 2012 London Olympics

A habitual writer of junior match reports in his youth, by age 15 Phil Humphreys was producing a fanzine for his local English football league club and selling 500-1000 copies a game. But it took a home Olympic Games to convert this foundation into a profession. Multi-Olympics reporter Phil Humphreys will become a mentor for the national team of FISU Young Reporters during the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games.

“I have always inhaled sport, and exhaled news, but for years the two were not connected,” Phil says. “Everything changed when I spotted an advert for reporting roles at London 2012. I applied but heard nothing for over a year, and then six weeks before the event, my phone rang. The venue editor for badminton had dropped out, and I was asked to step in.”

Baptism of fire

Taking unpaid leave from his agency desk job, Phil faced a daunting start. The news service for London 2012 comprised 150 paid contractors who all seemed to know each other - and what they were doing.

“I knew nobody and nothing, and almost quit after two days of training,” Phil says. “But then the badminton began and on day four, half of the women’s doubles draw were disqualified for cheating.

“It was a huge scandal; the federation called a press conference and every big name in British sports journalism turned up. The media centre was rammed, with film crews on step ladders at the back. We worked 18-hour days either side of that, filing some amazing stories and flash quotes. I knew then I had found my vocation.”

Think on your feet

Despite covering badminton at the past four summer Olympics, Phil describes himself as a ‘generalist’ and says some of his favourite interviews have emerged from sports he barely knew: the canoe slalom coach at Rio 2016 who was terrified of water, the Spanish luger at Pyeongchang 2018 who strapped cheese graters to his street shoes, or the wheelchair rugby player at Tokyo 2020 who scaled Kilimanjaro on his hands and knees.

So what makes a successful multi-sports reporter?

Phil identifies three key qualities - resilience, awareness, and concision - and says a good example of all three came in Tokyo after Viktor Axelsen had won men’s badminton gold for Denmark.

“He was a popular winner, but it was far from ideal for us written press journalists,” Phil recalls. “The player was emotionally drained by 30 minutes of TV interviews, and we were working from behind covid masks and a two-metre barrier.”

As Axelsen neared the agencies pen, Phil saw him end a call on his mobile phone.

“I shouted out: ‘Who were you talking to just now, Viktor?’ I was expecting maybe his wife, kids, or parents. Axelsen replied: ‘The Crown Prince of Denmark - can you believe it?’ He then reeled off 30 seconds of great lines. Considering the situation, it’s probably the best question I have ever asked, and it only took seven words.”

Apply now and be part of it! All young reporting talents aged 18 to 25 can apply for the ‘Young Sports Media Talents’ programme until 28 February 2025. Further information and application details can be found here.

Photos: © Phil Humphreys