Presentations from the four cities bidding for the 2016 Olympics are among the highlights of the 72nd Congress of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS).
More than 350 sports journalists from 116 nations are attending the conference in Milan, Italy. The event kicked off Wednesday and runs through May 3.
A host of Olympians will also make their presence felt, including London 2012 chair Sebastian Coe and IOC members Sergey Bubka, Ottavio Cinquanta, Gianfranco Kasper and Mario Pescante. Russian world pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva will receive her AIPS female Athlete of the Year award for 2008.
The 2016 Olympic candidate cities are scheduled to deliver presentations on Friday.
The Chicago delegation is led by bid chair and CEO Patrick Ryan and includes Michael Roberts, Patrick Sandusky, Doug Arnot, Bryan Clay, Bob Ctvrtlik, Robert Fasulo, George Hirthler and David Woodward.
Madrid Mayor Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon and Mercedes Coghen star for the Spanish bid. It is also represented by Manel Estiarte, Antonio Atilano, Malcolm Munro, Juan Antonio Villanueva, Manuel Cobo and Mar Utrera.
For Tokyo 2016, Deputy Director General Yasuhiro Nakamori takes a lead role. He will be supported by Mayumi Kuwata, Masa Takaya and Yoshi Kaji.
Rio de Janeiro's team is depleted due to the IOC Evaluation Commission's inspection of the Brazilian city this week; only Head of Communications Ingo Ostrovsky will represent the bid.
Coe will use the AIPS platform to outline media preparations for the 2012 Olympics. Amadeo Ricottili, manager of media operations for Vancouver 2010, will update the congress on media arrangements for next year’s Games.
Other key figures from the Olympic Movement speaking to the congress are: Hein Verbruggen, president of Sportaccord (formerly the General Association of International Sport Federations); International Basketball Federation secretary general Patrick Baumann and Mino Auletta, president of the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Leaders from the world of football will take part in a forum on Thursday. Participants include Italy football coach Marcello Lippi, who led his team to victory in the 2006 World Cup, FIFA’s communications director Hans Klaus and UEFA's media and communications director William Gaillard.
The quadrennial elections for the AIPS executive committee is also on the agenda.
Gianni Merlo, the respected journalist for Italy’s leading sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport, has led AIPS for the past four years. He stands unopposed and will lead the organization for another four-year term. Merlo is a member of the IAAF, IOC and FIFA press commissions.
The first vice president’s position is also unopposed, to be filled by top Turkish journalist Esat Yilmaer, sports editor of Hurriet Daily News. Former president of the Portuguese Sports Press Association Jorge Ribeiro remains as treasurer. Five vice president’s positions and 16 appointments to the executive committee will be voted on.
AIPS Press Facilities of the Year 2008 will be awarded to Beijing Games organizers.
With reporting from Mark Bisson.
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