AIPS ASIA

Tsuyoshi Miyazawa(1976) to
Hee Don Jung (2023)

No fewer than two Japanese Tosaku Kinoshita and Bob Sighetokou, sat on the executive committee set up in London 1924, when the AIPS set out on its journey and the first of these was also the vice president. In other words Asian Sports journalism had its own representation at the historic meeting held in the sporting club de France on the occasion of the Olympic games in the French capital. Tosaku Kinoshita repeated four year later, at the Amsterdam congress Japan was the vehicle for Asia’s presence at the first session in Paris and it was the same again in 1976 at Mexico city, but on this later occasion Japan was officially representing the Asian Sports Press Union (ASPU).Between the first meeting in Paris and this last one in Mexico City, more than half a century.

The fact is that, from those initial forays into associations prior to World War II until the congress in Mexico.  In between there is a long and horrendous military conflict from which the whole world, and particularly those countries that lost it, took a long time to recover. So much so that Japan does not join the AIPS until 1952 and is the first Asian to do so. It is also the only country in Asia to be affiliated to the International association in 1964 when the games of the 18th Olympiad were held in Tokyo where the head of media relations was an exceptional journalist Tsuyoshi Miyazawa a Japanese, of course who opened the doors for AIPS wide to all the national associations of the Asia. And it was precisely this journalist to the friends who stood for elections at the 1976 congress in Mexico City to occupy the post of Vice President for Asia. Felix Levitan was no longer the president of the AIPS,but with the incorporation of ”Bob” the association closed the circle with the presence of all Continental sections within the AIPS,as had been forecast by the great president Levitan in his acceptance speech in Munich, twelve years earlier Europe was still missing, as it had not been legally incorporated, although it exited de facto. That would be resolved the following year, at Milano Marritima, and Frank Taylor would be its first president.

In Milano Marittima in 1977 Tsuyoshi Miyazawa was re-elected as vice president for Asia. Asian Sports journalism had, by that time, six countries affiliated to the AIPS; India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Korea and Lebanon.  For years later, in 1981 at the Sao Paulo Congress,Abdul Musen Al-Hussaini ,from Kuwait, took over from Tsuyoshi Miyazawa, who was honored by the congress years later at Oviedo in 1997,and awarded the title of Honorary Member.   In Istanbul, four years Later in 1985 Dhia Abdul Razzak Hassan,from Iraq replaced Adul Musem Al-Hussaninibut this time as the member for Asia,not as Vice President,a reform introduced in the new statue.Al Hussaini stood for the position of Vice President and was elected alongside the Korean Kwang –Sik Cho and China’s Zhong Yaun Mu,who joined the executive committee as member.

In 1989 at Gothenburg, Asia retained the same representation.  On the one hand,Dhia Abdul Razzak Hassan repeated as member for Asia and so did Al Hussaini,as vice president and the Chinese Zhong Yaun Mu,as member. And it also saw another Asian elected as member in the person of Korea’s Gap-Chul Park, who started in Gothenburg his long career as an AIPS executive committee member and an ambassador of Asian sports journalism. In 1991,at the Nicosia Congress, Dhia Abdul Razzak Hassan was replaced by Yousaf Yamaludin ,from Malaysia ,who took up the seat on the executive committee as the member of Asia.

Two years later at the Istanbul congress in 1993, the departure of the veteran Abul Musen Al-Hussaini from Kuwait, who stepped down as Vice President coincided with the Asian apotheosis, spearheaded by the continuity of Yousaf Ymaludin as the members for Asia followed by the re-election of the Korean Gap –Chul Park as vice president and that of China’s Zhong Yuan Mu as a member in addition to the incorporation of George Das from Malaysia Shyam Sundar from India and Faisal Al Qanai from Kuwait all elected as members. Asia swept the board in those elections ant its six representatives on the committee were a well-deserved reward for the good work done by the Asian Sports Press Union.  In addition, the congress paid tribute to Al-Hussaini by awarding him the title of Honorary Member. He was the first Asian Journalist to receive it.

Before the Congress in Oviedo, in 1997,at which elections were due to be held, the Malaysian Yousaf Yamaluddin was replaced at the Quebec Congress in 1995,by his compatriot Johnson Fernandez as the member of Asia.In Oviedo , however two  years later, it was not Johnson Fernandez who remained in the post but George Das, also from Malaysia. Alongside him, the Korean Gap –Chul Park and Faisal Al Qanai from Kuwait re-electedas vice president and member, respectively. The newcomers were China’s He Husian and Fauzi Omar from Malaysia, both as members. It was the first time a women was elected to a post on the AIPS executive committee.

Toronto 2001 George Das repeats as member of Asia and so do Gap-Chul Park,as vice president and He Huisian from China and Faisal Al Qanai from Kuwait as member.  Asia gained a fourth seat through the ballot box as Manoucher Zandi from Iran was elected as member. There were no variations or change before the Congress in Morocco in 2005, where Gianni Merlo brought Togay Bayatli reign in the presidency of the AIPS to an end. The tireless George Das remained as member for Asia.

When the tireless George Das was honoured to represent Asia at AIPS, Asia Faisal Al Qanai and Manoucher Zandi from Kuwait and Iran respectively have been pacing with him as its vice presidents and in the meanwhile, Jaber Ali Harami Qatar and Yao ming Gu of China also stepped in the ladder as members of EC.  However, his compatriot, He Huisian, did not stand for re-election and was appointed as an honorary member of AIPS.  Another who decided to step down was Korea’s Gap-Chul Park, who had been on the executive committee for twelve years.

Although the absence of Gap-Chul Park lasted for only three years, as he replaced George Das as the member for Asia at the Beijing Congress in 2008 yet through the same congress Jaber Al harami from Qatar stepped down as member and his compatriot Mohammad Al Malki was elected to fill the seat he left vacant on the committee.  A year later in Milan, Gap-Chul Park was ratified as the member for Asia and the Asians once more imposed their strength with the re- election of Mr Faisal Al Qanai from Kuwait and Manoucher Zandi from Iran as vice presidents while Mohammad Al Malki from Qatar as a member. The newcomer to the Committee, also as a member, was China’s Hai Feng Zhang.

According to the report submitted to the Sochi Congress in April 2013, the Asian Sports Press Union (AIPS Asia) in the new nomenclature approved at the Antalya Congress in 2010 has a total strength of 36 affiliated associations – four less than the African section and seven more than that of America.  Faisal Al Qanai after having elected as president replaced Kap-Chul Park of Korea, whom the congress also distinguished with the title of honorary member of the AIPS in recognition of his services for the organization.  Thus the new executive committee for Asia, emerged with Faisal Al Qanai as its President who was joined by Zhang Hai Feng from China, First vice-president besides four vice presidents – Mohammad Al Malki (Qatar); Kyung ho Kim (Korea); Nim Seong (Macao) and Amjad Aziz Malik (Pakistan) whereas Sayed Abdolhamid Ahmadi from Iran won the slot of Secretary  General.  Further Yousuef Berjaoui of Lebanon took over the office of Treasurer while  Chiu Chan Fai (Hong Kong); Khalid Jasim Mohammed  (Iraq); Mazunori Enami (Japan); Ahmed Salim Batamira (Oman); Abdulla Ibrahim Bin Hussain (UAE); Hussein Alian (Palestine) and Niranjan Rajbanshi  (Nepal) were elected as the ordinary members at the forum.

 

(AIPS ASIA Peshawar Office Adds)

After remaining in dormant for a couple of years, the members decided to go for fresh elections a year ahead and consequently on 12th February, 2016 young Muhammad Qasim of Bahrain and Amjad Aziz Malik of Pakistan were honoured unopposed to lead the Asia continent section of AIPS as its President and Secretary General respectively while they were joined by Chiu Chan Fai of Hong Kong as Ist Vice President.  Similarly, Tu Xiaodong (China); Ahmad Khawari Isa (Malaysia); Talal Al Shaikh     (Saudi Arabia); Muhammad Hejji (Qatar) and Meisam Zamanabadi (Iran) were elected as vice presidents whereas Niranjan Rajbanshi of Nepal captured the seat of Treasurer.  Amongst the members Sattam Al Sehali (Kuwait), Shinsuke Kobayashi (Japan), Abdulla Ibrahim bin Hussain (UAE), Ilyas Omorov (Kazakhstan), OtgonbaatarChultem  (Magnolia), Hussein Alian (Palestine) and Nim Seong Fong (Macau) were elected for next four years term.  Asia bears the honor to have secured seven berths at the Executive Committee of AIPS in 2013.

After the elections in 2016, the Asian Sports Press Union for the first time in its history not only held its executive committee meetings regularly but also ensured the organization of its annual congress. During this time, the Asian Sports Press Union was also suffering from some internal differences, in view of which it was decided to once again regain the mandate of the member associations. . Thus, in the Extraordinary Ordinary Congress held in Islamabad in 2017, new office bearers were elected. Bahrain’s Muhammad Qasim was replaced by Sattam Al Sehali of Kuwait. Pakistan’s Amjad Aziz Malik was elected as Secretary General for the second time, while the position of First Vice President was given to Hee Don Jung of Republic of Korea. Sports journalists from five member countries got the position of Vice Presidents among them were Ahmad Khawari Isa from Malaysia, Saba Nayakan from India, Mohammed Hiji from Qatar, Muhammad Al Sheikh from Saudi Arabia and Mesiam Zamanabadi from Iran.The other officials were Niranjan Rajbanshi of Nepal took over as treasurer for the second time . Eight delegates has been elected as EC members including Shinsuke Kobayashi from Japan, Nim Seong Fong from Macao, Sayer Zaland from Afghanistan, Ayad Alsehki from Iraq, Tu Xiadong from China, Ibrahim Dsouki from Lebanon, Ahmad Saif Alkaabi from Oman and Hai Lun Chi from Chinese Taipei Sattam Al Sehali voluntarily offered Chinese Tu Xiadong to represent AIPS ASIA in AIPS as Vice President.

New elections was supposed to held in 2021, but where the Corona epidemic affected the events around the world, the activities of AIS ASIA were also disrupted, in view of which, during the AIPS Congress held in Rome, Italy on October 4, 2022, it was decided to hold elections of AIPS ASIA and thus the new cabinet was elected. Korean Hee Don Jung is the second sports journalist after Kap – Chul Park to take over the post of AIPS ASIA President. Amjad Aziz Malik of Pakistan re-elected Secretary General for the third consecutive time. Adel Al Zahrani of Saudi Arabia assumed the position of First Vice President.Saba Nayakan of India, Ahmad Khawari Isa of Malaysia, Mesiam Zamanabadi of Iran, Mubarak Al Boanin of Qatar and Khaleel Nadume of Kuwait elected unopposed on the Vice Presidents posts. Niranjan Rajbanshi of Nepal re – elected treasurer for third consecutive time. Eight members of the committee are Hai Lun Chi of Chinese Taipei, Nim Seong Fong of Macao, Ilyas Omorov of Kazakhstan, Ahmad Saif Alkaabi of Oman, Sanat Babla of Bangladesh, Hiroki Shoda of Japan, Abdul Salaam Al Saudi of Yemen and Safwan Abu Shanab of Palestine.

Thus, today under the leadership of Hee Don Jung, AIPS ASIA is engaged in service for the development of sports journalism and the betterment of sports journalists in Asia with a renewed commitment and passion.