Eighty veteran sports journalists who have covered 10 or more Olympic Games, including both Summer and Winter editions, were honored at a ceremony on February 5, 2026, at the Teulié Military School in Milan.

The Journalists on the Podium event, organized by the International Sports Press Association (AIPS), was held on the eve of the Opening Ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. Awards were presented by Alberto Tomba, IOC vice president; Nawal El Moutawakel; Paul Tergat; honorary IOC member Manuela Di Centa; Claudia Giordani; and Maria Rosa Quario.

Among those recognized was 84-year-old Italian photographer Giuliano Bevilacqua, the most senior awardee, who has covered 10 or more Olympic Games, including Milano Cortina 2026. He was followed by 82-year-old Swiss journalist Hugo Steinegger, who has covered 29 Games, and 76-year-old French journalist Alain Lunzenfichter, with 28, who was unable to attend the ceremony. Prabhjot Paul Singh, Resident Editor for Canada at New India Abroad, who has covered 11 Olympic Games, was also felicitated.

The journalists were honored for decades of contribution to sports journalism and the Olympic movement through their work across multiple media platforms. They received certificates, copies of Michael Payne’s autobiography “Fast Tracks and Dark Deals,” gift boxes from event sponsor Amos Sweets, and neck warmers from Pelliot. Other attendees also received neck warmers and Amos Sweets products.

Sports legends, Olympic champions, and IOC members participated in presenting the awards. Special guests included Col. Antonio Calligaris, commander of the Teulié Military School; Amos Ma, founder and chairman of Amos Sweets; Federica Picchi, Lombardy Region’s Secretary for Sports; Marco Riva, president of CONI Lombardia; Ruiqi Liu, chairman of the board of HYX Group; and Michael Payne, former IOC Head of Marketing.

IOC members in attendance included vice-president Nawal El Moutawakel, Paul Tergat, Morinari Watanabe, and honorary member Manuela Di Centa.

Alongside two-time Olympic champion Di Centa, Italian sports legends present included three-time Olympic gold medalist Alberto Tomba, Olympic silver medalist Claudia Giordani, and two-time Olympian Maria Rosa Quario. Quario, the mother of Federica Brignone, is also a journalist and has covered 10 Olympic Winter Games. The athletes and journalists participated in interview sessions reflecting on their careers and sharing expectations for the Milano Cortina 2026 Games.

“We would like to express our gratitude to AIPS for building this cross-cultural platform,” said Amos Ma, founder and chairman of Amos Sweets. He underlined that the company’s mission is to be a sweet messenger to the world, delivering happiness and health to global consumers.

AIPS President Gianni Merlo, who has covered 27 Olympic Games, highlighted the association’s recent activities and projects, including the AIPS Centenary Celebration held during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games.

IOC vice president Nawal El Moutawakel stated, “It is fantastic to share the stage with Gianni, who was elected AIPS president in my country, Morocco, 21 years after I participated in Los Angeles 1984. I heartily thank the journalists for the passion and emotion with which they report on the performances of the champions and athletes.”

The Journalists on the Podium initiative was first held at the London 2012 Summer Olympic Games, where more than 100 journalists received replicas of the London 2012 Olympic torch. The tradition has since continued at major single-sport and multi-sport events. Paris 2024 marked its return to the Olympic stage following a pandemic-related hiatus, with more than 100 journalists honored at UNESCO headquarters during the AIPS Centennial Celebration.

The Milan ceremony marked the sixth Olympic edition of the event, following London 2012, Sochi 2014, Rio 2016, PyeongChang 2018, and Paris 2024. The event was not held at Tokyo 2020, conducted in 2021, or Beijing 2022 due to COVID-19 restrictions.

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