Charles Camenzuli confirmed as AIPS Europe next president
Malta’s Charles Camenzuli was yesterday confirmed as the next AIPS Europe president as he will be uncontested for next May’s election.
This was announced officially by Dr Ioannis Daras, the current AIPS Europe president before he went on to announce the names of those contesting the elections next May.
In a short speech, Camenzuli thanked the Executive Committee members for their support in being nominated for the presidency.
He also said he hoped that all the others contesting the elections will be successful.
Daras later announced that the following persons had presented their candidature for the election to fill the places in the Executive Committee of AIPS Europe (in brackets is the seat which they are contesting):
Agca Murat of Turkey surer, member)
Charles Camenzuli (Malta) president
Gianfranco member
Michalis Gavrirlides member
Graur Dumitru (Romania) member
Ismaylov member
Marynina Nastassia member
Milinkovic Predrag (Serbia) secretary and member
Prieto Juan Antonio member Rossohik Lev (Russia) member Schuen Michael (Austria) member
Szollosi member
Triantafyllou Sotiris secretary and member
Ventouillac Marc (France) member
Volobuieva Anastasia (Ukraine) member Coppola Eldar Gyorgy (trea- (Italy) (Cyprus) (Azerbaijan) (Belarus) (Spain) (Hungary) (Greece)
The AIPS Europe General Assembly is to be held on 10 May to elect the president, secretary general, treasurer and nine committee members.
Murat Agca of Turkey is also assured of becoming the treasurer as he is also uncontested for this post.
There will be an election for the post of secretary. This is being contested by Predrag Milinkovic of Serbia and Sotiris Triantafyllou of Greece.
From the remaining 13 members, nine will be elected as members to form part of the Executive Committee till the year 2021.
The vice-president will be chosen from among those elected during the first Executive Committee meeting.
The announcement was made soon after the end of the Executive Committee meeting which was held at the Radisson Golden Sands Hotel in Ghajn Tuffieha yesterday morning.
Among those present for the opening of the meeting were PS for Sports Chris Agius, Opposition spokesman for Sports David Agius, and Mark Cutajar, SportMalta CEO.
Chris Agius, Parliamentary Secretary responsible for Sports, officially opened the meeting with a short speech in which he thanked AIPS Europe for selecting Malta for their meeting.
He said that all in the room had something in common – the love for sport.
Among other things, the Parliamentary Secretary said local sports needed more financing. “It is unfortunate that the Maltese budget for sports was, and still is, the lowest,” he said.
Agius went on to confirm the good relationship with the local Sportswriters Association which will culminate with the Sports Awards which SportMalta and the Sportswriters will organise jointly next Saturday.
The Opposition spokesman for Sports, David Agius, welcomed all members of the AIPS Europe Executive Committee and added it was an honour to have all of them amongst us.
“In sport, there are no barriers, no political agenda. We all want sports to make progress because we love sports and wish to see our youngsters doing well,” he said.
He added that the journalists have a special role – not only to inform readers, listeners or viewers of what is happening around them, but especially that of fighting the doping and corruption problems.
Mark Cutajar, SportMalta CEO said he was glad that this meeting coincided with Malta’s presidency of the European Union Council.
He revealed that several meetings are being held locally during these six months where several delegates from all European countries will be taking part in sports forums.
He also referred to the relationship with the Ghaqda Gurnalisti Sports (Sportswriters Association) saying that the two entities were now enjoying benefits which did not exist before.
He was referring to the office of the Sportswriters Association at the Tal-Qroqq complex, the joint organisation of the Sports Awards and the Sports Forum which was held for the first time last year.
He promised more collaboration with the journalists in future.
At the end of the speeches, the outgoing president, Dr Ioannis Daras, presented the three guest speakers with mementoes of the occasion.