Page 20 - aips-IV-23.indd

FROM THE WORLD
FINLAND
MTV's Kasperi Kunnas is Sports
Journalist of the Year in Finland
By Petra Olamo MTV's Kasperi
Kunnas is the Sports Journalist of
the Year 2023 in Finland, as cho-
sen by the Finnish Association for
Sports Journalists board. He was
recognised at the joint sports ap-
preciation day of the association
and the Finnish Sports Gala on
December 7, 2023 in Helsinki.
Kunnas has worked at MTV Urheilu
for over ten years, where he began
as an online journalist before moving to television. The 36-year-old plays a versatile role as a reporter, anchor, interviewer, and occasionally also as a news manager. The investigative story of YLE's Riikka Smolander-Slotte about the inappropriate coaching culture of rhythmic gymnastics was chosen as the Sports Story of the Year. The article reveals the shortcomings of the training culture of rhythmic gymnastics and it can be said that it is also socially signif- icant. The story raised a big national debate about inappropriate behaviour in sports. The award for Digital Hit of the Year went to the documentary series Pori Ässät – no periks ei anten (Pori Ässät – well, we won’t give up), produced by Vesa-Matti Savinen. Savinen intensively followed the activities of the ice hockey team Pori Ässät on and off the ice.
Aamulehti's photographer Jukka Ritola won the Most Inspiring Sports Photo of the Year with a picture of Wilma Murro's jump that secured the World Ath- letics Championships bronze in pole vault in Budapest in August.
Mika Korpela, spokesperson for Mikkelin Palloilijat Football Club in the men's first division, was chosen as Spokesman of the Year.
Veterans Hannu-Pekka Hänninen, Helsingin Sanomat and Kari Pyykkö were honoured with Lifetime Achievement awards in appreciation of their many years of work as sports journalists.
MONGOLIA
MNB’s Soninbayar Otgonbayar named Sports Journalist of the Year at Burte Chono 2023 awards
Mongolian National Broadcast- er's Soninbayar Otgonbayar was named the Sports Journalist of the Year at the Burte Chono 2023 awards ceremony organ- ised by the Mongolian National Olympic Committee (MNOC) on December 18. The annual event recognises the country's best athletes, Olympians, jour- nalists, National Federations and sports administrators. In 2023, Otgonbayar, who is also an board member of the Mongolian Sports Press Union (MSPU), worked as a journalist and commentator at the FIFA Women's World Cup, Jiu-Jitsu World Championship, Ulaan- baatar 2023 East Asian Youth Games, Mongolian Football Pre- mier League, Mongolian Volley- ball National League, Naadam Festival and Mongolian National Winter Sport Games. He also covered the Hangzhou 2022 19th Asian Games and Mongo- lian National Football Team’s in- ternational matches. In addition, he prepared and delivered daily sports news and review analysis programmes to the audience every week. Otgonbayar has been working as a commentator for the Mongolian Football Pre- mier League since 2017 and as a commentator for the National Volleyball League since 2019.
D.Batjargal, Secretary General of MSPU, O.Soninbayar, MNB sports journalist and N.Un- dral, MNB anchor.
SLOVAKIA
David Miller with Sir Craig Reedie, IOC Vice President and World An- ti-Doping Agency President. (Photo by British Olympic Association)
GREAT BRITAIN
Olympic honour
bestowed on David Miller,
acclaimed journalist and
former SJA chairman
By Philip Barker Former SJA chairman David Miller has been awarded the International Olym- pic Committee (IOC) Pierre de Coubertin Medal in recognition of his efforts to promote the Olym- pic Movement. A gifted amateur footballer who played for Corinthian Casuals, Miller missed out on the Olympic squad after the size of the party was reduced for the long trip to the 1956 Games in
Melbourne. Miller first reported from the Tokyo Olympics in 1964 after an epic journey across Asia by the Trans Siberian Railway. In a long career, he wrote about sport for the Daily Telegraph, the Daily Express and The Times. He served as Chairman of our organisation, then known as the Sports Writers Association, from 1981 to 1983. It was in the same era that he worked with Seb Coe on his first autobiography, ‘Running Free’. Later came another collaboration with Coe on ‘Born to Run’ and ‘Olympic Revolution’. Miller also chronicled the politics of the Olympic movement, covering unsuccessful bids by Birmingham and Man- chester before the ultimate success of London 2012. ‘Athens to Athens’, his official history of the Olympics and the IOC, came out as the Games returned to the Greek capital in 2004. Miller is believed to be the first British sports journal- ist to receive the Coubertin Medal since its inception in 1997.
20 | AIPSMAGAZINE
Kasperi Kunnas
Participants of the meeting of Slovak sports journalists. (Photo by Andrej Galica)
Slovak sports journalists rekindle camaraderie, reminiscing about the good old days
The Sports Editors Club in Slovakia (Klub športových redaktorov - KŠR) wants to bring back the practice of regular meetings for Slovak sports journalists.
The first meeting was on November 23, 2023 at the Brewer brewery in Bratislava-Prievoz.
Over 30 journalists from print, on- line, radio, and TV media came and enjoyed good food and drinks, talking, reminiscing, and having fun together.
Thanks to Ľubomír Souček, they were able to view pictures of various media events and professional work from the past.
The older generation reminisced, while the younger generation was astonished by the full stands of the Bratislava Tehelne Pole Stadium from football matches between jour- nalists and actors.
The stands used to hold over 50,000 spectators.
At the gathering, Ondrej Gajdoš, a sports reporter, and Miroslav Micha- lech, a TV presenter and commen- tator, along with photographer Pavel Neubauer, were presented with their bronze Slovak Olympic and Sports Committee badges by Zdenko Kríž and Ľubomir Souček, the chairman and secretary of the committee's media and editorial commission. Peter Pašuth, president of the KŠR, told everyone that they will gather again in early February to reveal the Sportsman of the Year 2023 poll outcome.