AIPS and CCS form an alliance to strengthen sports journalism in the region.

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GENERAL

AIPS and CCS form an alliance to strengthen sports journalism in the region.

Feb 05, 2025

“Centro Caribe Sports Begins Centennial Route”

CCS Press|| In Lausanne, Switzerland, “the capital of Olympism,” during the 143rd extraordinary assembly of the International Olympic Committee, the president of Centro Caribe Sports (CCS), Luis Mejía Oviedo, and Gianni Merlo, president of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS), held a meeting where they agreed on an alliance to strengthen the training program for sports journalists and commentators in Central America and the Caribbean.

This program is part of Centro Caribe Sports’ objective in the organization’s centennial journey and the Central American and Caribbean Games Santo Domingo 2026.

Luis Mejía Oviedo, president of CCS, stated the following: “This plan is the continuation of the ‘Huellas’ project, which successfully marked the region’s identity at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The organization is highly interested in preparing sports journalists within the Olympic movement, ensuring they write about and strengthen the dissemination of high-performance sports, preserving its historical memory in the member countries of the organization.”

“We are developing a work plan to reach the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games with a training program that will begin at the end of the first quarter of this year (2025). We will be working alongside the International Sports Press Association, a great organization that, like CCS, will celebrate its 100th anniversary in the same year. This initiative will provide journalists in the region with training adapted to modern times, new communication trends, and the digital challenges faced by sports, especially high-performance sports,” added Mejía Oviedo.

Gianni Merlo, president of AIPS, expressed his satisfaction in strengthening ties with the longest-standing sports organization and in enhancing the field of sports journalism and historical memory, which is so rich in the Central American and Caribbean region.

“That is why our organization will fully support Centro Caribe Sports’ Centennial Route project—not only through the global association but also through AIPS America, where a series of meetings have already been held and will soon be announced,” concluded Merlo.

What are the four key areas of work for 2025 in strengthening communication within the Centennial Route?

The use of technology, information, and communication in the Olympic movement, based on quadrants.
Greater visibility for National Olympic Committees (NOCs) through the inclusion of reporters participating in the Huellas 2025 project.
Revitalization of sports journalism through CCS’s editorial fund, which will publish magazines, books, and newsletters throughout the year.
The Central America and Caribbean news bulletin, which will be part of a digital platform connecting all Olympic committees with the organization.

This alliance between Centro Caribe Sports and the International Sports Press Association represents a significant step forward in developing and strengthening sports journalism in the region. Through this collaboration, the aim is not only to train sports journalists and commentators but also to create a solid communication infrastructure that enhances the reach and dissemination of high-performance sports.