AFC launches AFC Asian Cup 2007 contest with Sportswriters Association of Malaysia

AFC has launched its first media promotion campaign for the upcoming AFC Asian Cup 2007 with the AFC Asian Cup 2007 Sports Writers Contest in Malaysia.

This contest is a monthly event to appreciate and recognize Malaysian Sport writing in relation to the AFC Asian Cup 2007.

AFC General Secretary Dato Paul Mony Samuel, FAM General secretary Dato Seri Dr. Ibrahim Saad, Sportswriters Association of Malaysia (SAM) Vice-President Ibrahim Bakar Atan and AFC Assistant General Secretary and Director of Marketing and Communications Clare Kenny Tipton announced the launch of the contest at a press conference on Friday at the Football Association of Malaysia headquarters.

Dato Paul Mony Samuel said: SThis is the time to develop closer ties between media representatives and the AFC Asian Cup 2007 which will be held in Malaysia for the first time. The AFC would like to express its support for the Sportswriters of Malaysia (SAM) with the AFC Asian Cup 2007 Sports Writers contest.⬝

SMalaysia will host the tough-looking Group C which includes China, Iran and Uzbekistan who are big Asian teams. That is why it is not only a tournament for Malaysian football, it is about the whole of Asia,⬝ he added.

SAM Vice-President Ibrahim Abu Bakar said, SOn behalf of all SAM members I would like to take this opportunity to invite all media for this contest. The SAM Judgment panel will evaluate all entries in a fair and transparent way⬝.

FAM General Secretary, Dato Seri Dr. Ibrahim Saad, who is also a high ranking member of the local organizing committee of the AFC Asian Cup 2007 in Malaysia, said that while the FAM faces the huge task of co-hosting the AFC Asian Cup and preparing Malaysia”s national team, its media must raise the profile of the country”s football.

SThe media have an important role as a member of the Malaysian football family. We have two important plans which should be carried out simultaneously and very precisely – organising the prestigious AFC Asian Cup 2007 and preparing our national team to participate after 27 years of not being involved in Asia”s biggest tournament.⬝

The judgement panel will comprise renowned sports writers in each language and will be chaired by Kenny Tipton and Atan.

SThe contest itself is open to written articles in English, Bahasa Malay, Mandarin and Tamil and the Article of the Month” will be published in the AFC Asian Cup Official Magazine and also on the official AFC website in all nine languages,⬝ said Kenny Tipton.

She said the monthly award winner would receive RM 2000 and other prizes while the grand prize winner will take home RM 5000 at an awards ceremony scheduled to be held in August 2007.

The AFC Asian Cup 2007 will be held July 7 to 29 in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.

For more information on the AFC Asian Cup 2007TM Sports Writers contest in Malaysia, please log on to www.the-afc.com.