FISU at 2007 AIPS Congress
May 18th, 2007
For the third time since 2005 FISU was present at the AIPS Congress, the annual General Assembly of the International Sport Press Association (AIPS). The 70th Anniversary Congress was mainly held in Bregenz, Austria, but for the first time in its history the Congress was being jointly hosted by three national associations - Austria and Switzerland, with the help of their neighbour, Liechtenstein, from May 16th to 20th. The 2007 Congress welcomed a number of new nations, such as Gambia, Montenegro, Oman and Zambia, to become fully-fledged member countries. Haiti and Nepal, together with Serbia re-affiliated, bringing the number of member nations to 152. 99 of them were present in Bregenz - a very good opportunity for FISU to show up, to present once more its activity and especially to promote the 25th Universiade in Belgrade 2009 and the 60 Years of FISU. FISU was represented by EC Member Leonz Eder, also Chairman of the FISU Press Commission, and Tamara Kostro, PR Manager of UBOC 2009.
Tamara Kostro (Belgrade 2009) and Leonz Eder present a gift to AIPS President Gianni Merlo
Austrian Federal Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer officially opened the 70th Congress in the Festival House Bregenz. HRH Prince Faisal of Jordan presented the project "Sport for Peace". Mr Ottavio Cinquanta, ISU President, and Mr. Gian Franco Kasper, FIS President took the floor to discuss some ideas in their sports. FISU EC member Leonz Eder used the opportunity to communicate deeply with them the FISU goals, but also with many other representatives of different organisations present at the Congress. The three Winter Olympic Candidate Cities for 2014, Sochi, Salzburg and Pyeong Chang presented their bids in Bregenz, followed by the presentations of the Beijing Olympic Games 2008, the IOC and FISU/Belgrade the next day in Liechtenstein. FISU CIP Chairman Leonz Eder gave an overview of the FISU activities and the next sporting events. Tamara Kostro, PR Manager of UBOC 2009, presented the preparations of the 25th Universiade in Belgrade. The audience was very interested to learn about FISU and the Universiade, and with the third time present at the AIPS-Congress, a lot of delegates from different countries were already well aware about the activities of FISU and showed a great interest to follow our sporting events. Both Leonz Eder and Tamara Kostro used the opportunity to contact many of the national Sports Press Associations in order to promote FISU and the Universiade of Belgrade 2009. The next AIPS Congress will be held in Beijing, China, in May 2008.
Leonz Eder, Chairman of the FISU Press Commission together with ISU President Ottavia Cinquanta
Leonz Eder, Chairman of the FISU Press Commission together with FIS President Gian-Franco Kasper
Leonz Eder, Chairman FISU Press Commission, outlines FISU's activities
Tamara Kostro, PR Manager Belgrade 2009
