BRUSSELS – Today, September 30th, the candidate cities that are bidding to host the 2017 Universiades presented their bid books toFISU President Claude-Louis Gallien at theFISU Office ‘Château de la Solitude’ in Brussels, Belgium. Present as well were FISU Vice-Presidents Zhang (CHN), Cabral (BRA) and Eder (SUI).
FISU SG/CEO SaintrondFISU Secretary-General/CEO Eric Saintrond gave a warm welcome to the delegations. ‘Your presence here means you are entering the last phase of the attribution process’, Mr. Saintrond further explained. ‘Soon, the Evaluation Committees will travel to your cities for an inspection visit.’
After Mr. Saintrond’s welcome, President Gallien addressed the delegations of the candidate cities. ‘You give a strong signal to FISU. The fact that you are here presenting your bid book means that you feel ready to host the Universiade, one of the biggest multi-sport events in the world’, Mr. Gallien told the candidate city delegates.
Vice-President Leonz Eder explained the procedure of the Evaluation Committee. ‘We do not only carefully study your bidding documents. On site we evaluate many aspects of the bidding cities, such as support of all levels, transportation, security, venues, accommodation, the general concept of the Games and their legacy’, Mr. Eder explained.
FISU President GallienAfter the formal introductions, the floor was given to the bidding cities to present their bid book. ‘After hosting a successful 7th edition of the Asian Winter Games earlier this year, we are now ready to promote University Sport. If Almaty receives the right to host the Winter Universiade, it would be a first for the region of Central Asia’, Mr. Serik Seidumanov, Vice-Mayor of Almaty and Deputy Chairman of the Bidding Committee.
‘Our experience from the Asian Winter Games will be a great value to host the Winter Universiade in 2017’, Pavel Shegay of the Almaty Bidding Committee added. ‘We know how to do it, we can do it and we will do it.’
‘Trentino is ready’, former Olympic and World Champion Cross Country skiing Manuela Dicenta, President of the Trentino Bidding Committee for the 2017 Winter Universiade said. ‘We have the expertise. Our inspiration lies in the legacy we will leave for the Trentino region based on sustainability. We want to build a special relay between sport and the university.’
FISU Vice-President Eder‘Trentino is a place based on research and innovation’, Davide Basside, Rector of the University of Trento added. ‘There is a strong connection between education, research and sport. By hosting the Winter Universiade we will enhance this connection even further.’
If Brasilia is granted the Summer Universiade in 2017, we will bring back the World University Games to the Southern Hemisphere after half a century.’ Ricardo
Moura, International Relations Officer of the Bidding Committee stressed. ‘Brazil and Brasilia have exceptional conditions to create ways to expand the University Sports in its territory, in Latin America and also all over the world.’
‘We are preparing Brazil to host more sports than only football’, Rene Celio, Brasilia Minister of Sport added. ‘There is a strong motivation and exceptional willingness inBrazilto host the Universiade in 2017. By proposing Brasilia as host city for the 2017 Universiade, Brazil, a country of continental dimensions wishes to develop a new sports hub. Sport will be a social and economic way to develop the region.’
‘Taipei City has been working hard to become a leading-edge capital of international sports events. In recent years Taipei City has already become a high-tech oriented and prosperous city and this city is ready to be the ideal location to host a major international sport event as the Universiade’, Mr. Ting Tin-Yu, Deputy Mayor of Taipei City announced. ‘I am confident our city has all the best ingredients for a successful Universiade. The success of previous events hosted in our city proves our ability to bring you the best ever Universiade in Taipei City if we are granted the permission to host the Games.’
After the Bid Book presentation, FISU President Gallien thanked all delegations for their presence and efforts. ‘You all have certainly one point in common’, Mr. Gallien told the international delegates. ‘You all want to win, just like in sports. The FISU Executive Committee and I are looking forward to your final presentations. Good luck to all of you.’
The upcoming months, the Evaluation Committees for the WU and SU visit the bidding cities for their inspections. Then on November 29th, the FISU EC will attribute the 2017 Winter and Summer Universiades in Brussels.
C. Pierre, FISU Press Officer
FISU President receives the Bid Book from the Almaty Deputy Mayor
Former Olympic Champion DiCenta and the Rector from the U of Trento present their Bid Book
Minister of Sports of Brasilia with Ricardo Moura present their Bid Book
Deputy Mayor of Taipei City presents to Bid Book to Mr. Gallien
The Bid Books are sealed
Vice-President Eder interviewed by Kazakhstan TV
