SANTA SUSANNA, February 11, 2023 – Santa Susanna, a beautiful resort city in Spain positioned around 70km from Barcelona and 30km from Girona, is the venue for the first in-person meeting of the AIPS Executive Committee which was elected at the last Congress held in Rome in October 2022. The EC Members will immerse themselves in four days of intense work regarding the immediate future of the International Sports Press Association from February 11-14 at the Atzavara Hotel, with the support of IFBB and the city of Santa Susanna, whose Mayor, Joan Campolier, is fond of sports and wants to continue a good relationship with our association.

The EC Members arrived on Friday, February 10 and in the evening of the same day attended a simple welcome ceremony held at the Verbena Theatre Club of the Atzavara Hotel.

THE FIGHT CONTINUES In his speech, AIPS President Gianni Merlo expressed how astonished he was by the beauty of Santa Susanna and how impressed he was with the organization for the meeting. He explained some of the dangers the sports journalism profession is currently facing and shared that in the following days, the AIPS Executive Committee will be speaking about the future of AIPS, looking at the new statutes of the association and judging submissions of the AIPS Sports Media Awards 2022. “We are in the best environment to work properly,” he said. Merlo shared the good news about the release of two Iranian journalists but insists that the fight continues as Niloofar Hamedi and many others are still in prison. “We have to fight for our colleagues in danger. We are lucky to be in this heaven but we must not forget them,” he stressed.

IMPORTANT WORK Campolier, the Mayor of Santa Susanna, welcomed the AIPS Executive Committee to his “charming small city”. A city with a little more than 3000 inhabitants but is visited by around 2 million people throughout the year. A city that is now known as the “world capital of fitness”. He said: “You are people who create opinion… Without you, the world of sports makes less sense. Thank you for your important work.”

Santonja, IFBB President, waxed lyrical about the immense potential of Santa Susanna as a city that loves sports, saying the bodybuilding federation has been organizing events in Santa Susanna for 20 years. Speaking about journalism, he acknowledged the changes that have occurred in the profession over the years but stresses that “one thing that won’t change is your character; you are people of high caliber.” He added “I celebrate you. Thank you for your will and determination.”

AIPS EC MEETING On Saturday morning, the AIPS Executive Committee observed a moment of silence for the victims of the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria before proceeding with intense discussions about the effect of the coronavirus pandemic, Iranian journalists in jail, AIPS projects like the Young Reporters Programme, AIPS membership, finance, statutes, the next AIPS Congress in Seoul and the AIPS Sport Media Awards.

The AIPS EC approved that the draft of the new AIPS Statutes is sent to the national associations who would then send their feedback ahead of the 85th AIPS Congress in Seoul scheduled for May 2023. In the next days, the AIPS EC will be involved in an important judging stage of the AIPS Sport Media Awards 2022 before departing Santa Susanna on February 15.

Chibuogwu Nnadiegbulam – AIPS Media