Prof. Franco Ascani was elected – unanimously – for the four-year period 2024-2027, as President of FICTS – Fédération Internationale Cinéma Télévision Sportifs (130 joined Countries – www.sportmoviestv.com), the only Federation of the sector recognized by the IOC – International Olympic Committee for which it carries out its ethical, cultural and artistic function of the Sports Movement through the effective use of the power of the sports footages with television, cinema and new media. Prof. Franco Ascani has also been a member, for 12 years, of the Commission for Culture and Olympic Heritage of the International Olympic Committee (*).
The composition of the new Board of Directors (on the website at the link https://www.sportmoviestv.net/en/consiglio-amministrazione-ficts/) and of the members of the 4 Permanent International Commissions (https://www.sportmoviestv.net/en/commissioni-internazionali/) recorded an increase the quota of women (42%) with a significant global increase of the Members coming from Africa, USA and Oceania. Secretary General: Enzo Cappiello.
The General Elective Assembly (opened by the warm message of the Minister of Sport Dr. Andrea Abodi) took place in Italy in Treviso (8 June) and in Cortina (9 June) as part of the International Congress “Milano Cortina 2026: the Image of the Olympic Games” in which qualified representatives of the Olympics, sports, institutional and business worlds took part, including: Mario Pozza – President of Assocamerestero and of the Treviso-Belluno|Dolomiti Chamber of Commerce, Dr. Andrea Varnier Chief Executive Officer of the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation and Journalists with representatives of the 130 countries affiliated to FICTS and of the 10,342 members.
During the General Assembly, the “Golden Card – Honorary FICTS Member” was awarded to Madame Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul (Thailand) who attended on behalf of the IOC President Thomas Bach. First and only Thai woman elected Member in the International Olympic Committee (IOC), influential businesswoman (steel, hotels, hospitals and real estate) she is also the President of the Culture and Olympic Heritage IOC Commission.
The four-year Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Fédération Internationale Cinéma Télévision Sportifs and the City of Fort Myers (USA) in the presence of Olympian Dr Liston Bochette and Dr Thomas J. Rosandich President Emeritus and CEO of United States Sports Academy starting the collaboration on different projects in the USA.
(*) Prof. Ascani has participated, in different roles, in 14 editions of the Olympic Games, he is a sports sociologist. University professor and international expert in sports management and marketing, he has initiated 3.5 million young people into sports with the “Trofei di Milano”, the city which will be the venue of the next Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. President of the Advisory Board of the University Master’s Degree in “Management of Sport and sporting events” of the University of Milano-Bicocca (for 20 years). Journalist, he recently published the Volume “200 films on the Olympic podium. Cinema & Games” (321 pages) making it available to the Study Center of the International Olympic Committee.