Editorial Policy

This page explains how we decide what goes on Sportsnar and how we make sure it’s right. It’s the standard we hold ourselves to, and the one you’re entitled to hold us to.

Accuracy comes first

We would rather be second and right than first and wrong. Before anything is published, names, numbers, dates and quotes are checked against the original source: the official scorecard, the club or board statement, the governing body, or the recording of what was said.

Live scores and statistics on our live scores and match pages come directly from a licensed sports data provider. We don’t type scores in by hand, and we never estimate, round up or fill in a number we don’t have. If data is missing or delayed, the page shows that rather than a guess.

What counts as confirmed

Sport runs on rumour, and we enjoy the gossip as much as anyone. But we only report something as fact when it has been confirmed by:

• the club, team, league or governing body concerned, or
• the person involved, on the record, or
• a named, established outlet with a strong record on that subject, credited by name.

When we discuss something that isn’t confirmed, such as a possible transfer or a selection call, we say clearly that it’s speculation and where it comes from. We don’t present an anonymous social media post as news.

Injury and fitness news is handled with extra care. We report what clubs and boards announce and leave the diagnosing to the doctors.

Fair, independent and in the open

We write about teams and players fairly, including the ones we privately cheer against. Opinion pieces are labelled as opinion, and analysis shows its working.

No one can pay to change what we write. If we ever publish sponsored or partner content, it will be clearly labelled as such, kept apart from our reporting and never dressed up as news. Advertising, where it appears, has no say over editorial decisions.

Sources and credit

When we use another outlet’s reporting, we credit and link to it. Quotes are quoted accurately and in context. Photos and logos are used only when we have the right to use them, and photographers and agencies are credited.

How we use technology

Live data is processed automatically so scores reach you within seconds. We also use software tools to help with things like checking spellings and organising statistics. Every article is written or edited by a person and checked before it’s published, and a person is responsible for everything that carries our name.

Mistakes

We will get things wrong sometimes. When we do, we correct them promptly and say so. Our corrections page explains exactly how that works and how to tell us.

Questions about this policy

If you think something we’ve published falls short of this standard, please tell us at hello@sportsnar.com or through our contact page. We’d rather hear it than not. You can read more about who we are on our about page.