Milan More than 300 sports journalists, AIPS members gathered in the northern capital of Italy for a three day meeting to exchange their views on sports journalism, debate on the future of their profession and elect their president – Gianni Merlo, the outgoing president was re-elected by acclamation – and the Executive Board for forthcoming 4 years. Gianni Petrucci, president of the Italian Olympic Committee and Raffaele Pagnozzi CONI and EOC Secretary General attended the opening of the proceedings. The Congress of AIPS an association of 9000 members from more than 150 countries is a special occasion for the media to meet the world of sport represented in Milan by IOC Members and Olympic Champions Manuela Di Centa and Manuel Estarte, many IOC Members and IF president Lamine Diack (IAAF), Hein Verbruggen (AGFIS), Gianfranco Kasper (FIS), Ottavio Cinquanta (ISU). Yelena Isinbayeva, Russian pole vault champion, elected “Athlete of the Year “ by the world media, was in attendance.