Page 133 - BOOK OF THE YEAR 2020

MEET & GREET

GIANNI MERLO, President of
the International Sports Press

Association (AIPS), AWARDED

THE IFBB MEDAL OF HONOUR

lGianni Merlo, president of the
International Sports Press Association
(AIPS), was awarded the IFBB Medal of
Honour during the World Congress in
Budapest, which took place on the 3 to
rd
the 6 of February.
th
Dating back to 1924, the AIPS is made up of 160
organizations and includes over 10,000 of today’s
sports journalists. The Italian Gianni Merlo has
been its president since 2005. Mr. Merlo has always
shown a special sensibility towards Bodybuilding,
and for this reason, IFBB president Dr. Rafael
Santonja decided to award him the medal of
honour.

IFBB-CBBA BELT & ROAD 2019

XI’AN, CHINA

lAnother amazing year of the IFBB-CBBA Belt and
Road competition, whit a remarkable and stoning
organization, one of the most beautiful and impressive
openings shows we had ever seen, like those that take
your breath away.
The local organizing committee led by Zhang
Penggang, with the CBBA President Mr. Zhang Haifeng
and the General Secretary Mr. Gu Qiao, once again did
an upstanding job, with an event full of performances
that we just can resume in one word, spectacular!
The opening ceremony was led by a warm and
exciting speech of the IFBB President Dr. Rafael
Santonja.
Athletes from all over the world have the joy to be
part of this astonishing competition that took place in
Xi´an, China, in the mythical capital of the Chinese
Empire.

132 2019/2020 BOOK OF THE YEAR