Tuesday 14 / April / 2026
Muscat: The Oman Journalists' Association (OJA) achieved an international milestone with the election of Ahmed bin Saif al Kaabi to the Executive Committee of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS).
The election took place during the AIPS General Assembly held recently in Lausanne, Switzerland, with the participation of representatives from 120 countries.
Al Kaabi’s victory marks a historic first, making him the first Omani to secure a position on the AIPS Executive Committee since the establishment of the association. The General Assembly also witnessed the election of the president, vice-presidents, executive committee members, and the secretary-general, bringing the total number of elected officials to 20.
Kaabi's role also enhances OJA's engagement with AIPS programmes and activities, offering valuable opportunities for training, development, and international collaboration aligned with the association’s objectives.
Alongside Al Kaabi, three Arab candidates were elected to the Executive Committee: Adil Al Zahrani from Saudi Arabia, Mourad Al Mutawakel from Morocco, and Dr. Mohamed Ould Al Hassan from Mauritania.
Election Results
Gianni Merlo of Italy was re-elected as President with 83 votes. Kenya’s Evelyn Watta secured 99 votes to become First Vice-President. The other Vice-Presidents elected were Gao Chao of China (92 votes), Ernesto Ortiz of Uruguay (76 votes), Milos Dusek of the Czech Republic (71 votes), and Marja Pärb of Estonia (71 votes).
Portugal’s Manuel Queirós was elected Treasurer by acclamation.
The elected Executive Committee members are: Hiroki Shoda (Japan) with 83 votes, Adil Al Zahrani (Saudi Arabia) with 82, Mourad Al Mutawakel (Morocco) with 80, Rudi Nuyens (Belgium) with 75, Predrag Mijinkovic (Serbia) with 74, Jura Ozmec (Croatia) with 73, Jože Zidar (Slovenia) with 70, Ahmed Al Kaabi (Oman) with 68, Saba Nayakan (India) with 65, Catalina Tibellin (Romania) with 63, Fernando Zambarana (Bolivia) with 60, Josef Langer (Austria) with 55, and Dr. Mohamed Ould Al Hassan (Mauritania) with 49 votes.
AIPS implemented an electronic voting system during the elections, ensuring efficiency, accuracy, and rapid announcement of results across all categories.
In his closing remarks, AIPS President Gianni Merlo praised Oman’s capabilities in hosting international conferences, highlighting his experience at the 2022 AIPS Congress in Muscat.
He commended the Oman Journalists Association for delivering an outstanding event, noting the Sultanate’s high organisational standards and capacity to successfully host major global gatherings.
