AIPS honoured nearly 80 veteran journalists who have covered more than a thousand Olympic Games combined, recognising decades of contribution to global sports journalism on the eve of Milano Cortina 2026.
Milan | BY AIPS Media
The International Sports Press Association (AIPS) honoured veteran Olympic journalists at the Journalists on the Podium ceremony held at the Teulié Military School in Milan, celebrating careers that collectively span more than a century of Olympic history.
The ceremony, organised on the eve of the Opening Ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, recognised journalists who have covered ten or more Olympic Games across summer and winter editions. Nearly 80 journalists were honoured, representing over 1,000 Olympic Games reported through words, images, and broadcasts that have shaped global understanding of sport.
Italian photographer Giuliano Bevilacqua led the list of awardees, having covered 30 Olympic Games, followed by Swiss journalist Hugo Steinegger with 29 and French journalist Alain Lunzenfichter with 28. The recognition highlighted sustained professional dedication to Olympic values and sports journalism across generations.
Awards were presented by Olympic champions, IOC members, and sports legends including AIPS President Gianni Merlo, IOC Vice President Nawal El Moutawakel, Paul Tergat, honorary IOC member Manuela Di Centa, Alberto Tomba, Claudia Giordani, and Maria Rosa Quario. Their presence underlined the close institutional relationship between elite sport and the media professionals who document it.
The ceremony drew high-level attendance from international sport and public institutions, including representatives of the IOC, CONI Lombardia, Lombardy regional authorities, and global partners. Speakers repeatedly emphasised journalism’s role in safeguarding sporting values, preserving historical memory, and ensuring informed public engagement.
In his address, AIPS President Gianni Merlo reflected on the association’s recent initiatives, including the AIPS Centenary celebrations during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, describing the Journalists on the Podium programme as a cornerstone of institutional recognition for sports media professionals.
IOC Vice President Nawal El Moutawakel praised journalists for their role in amplifying athletes’ stories with integrity and passion, stressing that ethical and committed reporting remains essential to the Olympic Movement.
First launched at the London 2012 Olympic Games, the Journalists on the Podium initiative has since been held at multiple Olympic and major international sporting events. The Milan ceremony marked its sixth Olympic edition, reinforcing AIPS’s commitment to honouring journalistic excellence alongside athletic achievement.
As Milano Cortina 2026 approaches, the ceremony served not only as a tribute to past contributions, but as a reminder of the enduring responsibility of sports journalists to document sport with accuracy, independence, and respect for its cultural significance.