The AIPS Sport Media Awards presented to students in journalism from CESTI

AIPS Sport Media Awards promotion passed from CESTI, the main school of journalism in Senegal

Sene Diacounda, AIPS Young Reporter Senegal

DAKAR, June 22, 2019 - Amy Wane is a student of journalism with a strong interest in sports. When she heard about the AIPS Sport Media Awards through social media, her desire was to learn more about it, in order to prepare for her participation. And this morning, the young woman was well served.

With her classmates from the Center of Studies of Sciences and Techniques of the Information (CESTI), the main school of journalism in Senegal, they were given a presentation of the details of the AIPS Sport Media Awards launched in 2018 by the International Sport Press Association (AIPS) to reward the best sport media professionals worldwide.

This session was an opportunity for students in their final year of training, already functional for the most part and interested in sport, to ask questions about the conditions of participation, the different categories, especially the one open to young reporters aged under 30*.

Indeed, for the budding journalists, the attraction was this new category dedicated to young reporters. These students, who are mostly under the age of 30, will soon finish their training and become professional journalists. Some already have in mind to work on topics that they intend to submit to the AIPS bsp; Sport Media Awards before next October.

CESTI is the first School of journalism in West Africa. Each year, the school welcomes students from different African countries. The presentation of the AIPS Awards was made in front of a group of thirty Senegalese, Malian and Beninese students.

Their teacher Mamadou Koumé, journalist and former president of the Senegalese National Sport Press Association encouraged them to participate in this contest which can only pull them towards excellence.

To encourage them, the example of Youssouph Bodian was given to them as reference. The journalist who participated in the first edition and finished in the top 10 is a former student of this school. Bodian saw his participation in the AIPS Sport Media Awards as a real source of motivation. "It's a great initiative that allows journalists to push their limits, my first participation allowed me to understand that we do not necessarily need to have lot of things to do quality work. And I advise everyone to grab this unique opportunity", he said.

Very excited about the project, Amy Wane already has an idea of the subject that she could submit and intends to work very hard to win a place on the young reporters programme

*The newly created Young Reporter category is open to professionals that are under 30 (born on or after January 1, 1990). AIPS has invested in the future of sport journalism by creating the respected AIPS Young Reporters Programmes, that set a high quality reporting standard for UEFA, FIFA, FINA and IAAF events since 2011. To give an Award to the younger generations is another step in the same direction and underlines AIPS efforts to offer a better future in this profession. Each of the winners will receive a career-boost opportunity: a scholarship in a major international sports event.