By Trevor Bond, AIPS Staff

BEIJING, May 23, 2008 - AIPS and the Olympic Council of Asia shook hands on a new financial partnership on the second day of the 71st congress in Beijing.

AIPS President Gianni Merlo and Manuel Silverio, Chairman of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Media Committee signed the agreement at the end of an Asian Games presentation by Mr Silverio.

New Executive Committee Member

Al Malki Mohamed Abdulla of Qatar was elected to the vacancy on the Executive Committee. He won the ballot with 57 votes. Barry Newcombe of Great Britain received 19 votes and Ernesto Ortiz (Uruguay), eleven votes. Eighty eight of the 90 countries attending the congress declared unspoilt votes.

Continuing Professional Development

The morning’s proceedings commenced with dynamic presentations on the Future of Sports Journalism given by Gianni Valenti, Deputy Editor, La Gazzetta dello Sport, Mr GAO Dianmin, Gao Dianmin, Director-General of sports news at the Xinhua news agency, and Executive Director of the China Sports Publications Corporation, publishers of the China Sports Daily, Mr Tu Xiaodong.

The 2008/2009 FISU Activity Programme was outlined by FISU Press Commission Chairman and Assessor, Leonz Eder and Professor Dr Josef Hackforth from the AUDI Institute for Sports Communication gave an interesting presentation on the "Olympic Games Beijing 2008 International Handbook of Sports Communications - a useful tool for the sports journalist, even those not coming to Beijing for the Games.

AIPS and English + Further Study Downunder English language scholarship awardee Ms Maryam Sabzali from the Iranian Sports Press Association and national news agency IRNA transported the Congress to Australia with her entertaining powerpoint presentation on five weeks Downunder as part of the inaugural scholarship programme.

Trophies were awarded to the Best Sports Facilities for 2007 - Osaka, Wimbledon and the Doha Asian Games.

Congress 2009 and 2010

Next year's congress will be held in Milan, Italy, with Turkey's Antalya on the Mediterranean coast of southwest Turkey to be host for 2010.

SJA President Mr Barry Newcombe outlined his association's intentions to work closley with London 2012 to investigate hosting a Congress in the next Summer Olympic City.

Scholarship Announcement

Ms Tamara Kostro, PR Manager of Universiade Belgrade 2009 was invited to the rostrom to announce an innovative scholarship for 50 young journalists who will be guests of FISU and Belgrade at the next year's Summer Universiade. Ms Kostro stressed the importance of developing the skills of the younger generation of sports journalists and was acknowledged by a huge round of applause. President Gianni Merlo welcomed the announcement and said it was important to develop the skills of our young colleagues.

National Centre for Performing Arts Opera - Madame White Snake

Delegates were privileged to be guests of the Congress organising committee at a performace of the legend of Madame White Snake. A combination of Peking Opera, acrobatics, martial arts, dance and magic, the performace was outstanding.

In the next few days AIPS Media will post presentations that were given to the Congress on our website www.aipsmedia.com