A boxing club has lost its fight to have a regional daily censured after the press watchdog ruled the newspaper acted appropriately to resolve a complaint.

Birtley Boxing Club complained to the Independent Press Standards Organisation after the Newcastle Chronicle covered an alleged violent assault that had been “[r]eportedly filmed” at the club.

Complaining under Clause 1 (Accuracy) of the Editors’ Code of Practice, the club said the alleged attack had not taken place at there, and that the police had known this since 9 May this year, three days prior to the story’s publication.

Denying any breach of Code, the Chronicle said it had distinguished between comment, conjecture and fact and had made clear that the incident was “reportedly” filmed at the club, rather than making a statement of fact that this was the case.

The newspaper also offered to publish a statement from the club, putting its position on record.

Four days later, after the police updated the Chronicle on the location of the alleged incident, it amended the story to remove the reference to the gym and added a statement of clarification on the matter.

The club did not accept the proposal as a resolution to the complaint, but IPSO concluded that the remedial measures offered by the Chronicle were satisfactory.

The complaint was therefore closed, and the full resolution statement can be read here.