FISU.net met up with the Finnish artistic gymnastics enthusiast during the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games to hear his impressive testimonial of how much the world of university sport has evolved in half a century.
It is obvious that 81-year-old Erkki Tervo is delighted to be a member of the International University Sports Federation. It is also obvious that the Finn’s sport is artistic gymnastics. As he was waiting for FISU.net in the lobby of FISU’s hotel in Düsseldorf during the last Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games in July, he was standing straight, his posture impeccable, wearing his FISU uniform and Games accreditation with great pride.
Over 50 years – which makes him the “oldest” member of the organisation – he has occupied many roles and seen the university sports’ world expand and evolve greatly. Let’s travel back in time…
-Erkki, what role does sport play in your life?
-A very central one! When I was a kid, we tried every sport we could! We played bandy in the winter and of course everyone was practicing cross-country skiing. All year round I trained twice a week for gymnastics and in the summer we enjoyed athletics – in my case especially the 400m hurdles – and football. When I grew up, I became a coach and now that I am old… I am still a coach!
-Do you remember when you first heard about FISU?
-In 1974, I was approached as the FISU Conference it was held in Finland. This is when I first thought about joining the International Federation of University Sport if possible. I always was and still am a sportsman. I was a physical education teacher, specialising in artistic gymnastics and athletics as well as a senior lecturer at the University of Jyväskylä. One year later, I was elected to become a member of FISU’s Executive Committee. I am therefore celebrating my 50 years at FISU!
-Congratulations! But tell us more about your role at the time…
-I went to Rome since I wanted to join as a representative of the Finnish National University Sport Federation, even if I was no longer a member, simply a former president. I didn’t really know what to expect. And suddenly, I found myself being part of the Executive Committee, elected by people I had never seen before! Maybe thanks to the fact that the former FISU President, Primo Nebiolo was a fan of Finland, as my country was pretty strong in athletics…
–And as an artistic gymnast, you had the needed flexibility to adapt?
–(laughs) I actually felt at home immediately. I remember by first EC Meeting in Punta Del Este, Uruguay, like it was yesterday. All I had was an invitation, dates and I knew I had to make my way to Montevideo. So I wrote a letter with all the questions I had and there were so many! I met the FISU secretary – a very nice lady who only worked part time and didn’t even have an office – at the airport on my way there. She was sitting on the plane next to me as she took a box of unopened letters and… found mine; so she was able to answer all my questions live! FISU had around 12 members at the time, some of them really strong, mainly European like like USSR, Italy, Germany or Bulgaria, but also Mexico and Japan.
–Tell us about your time as an Executive Committee Member…
-It was a shock to be elected! Then, I just tried to do my best by helping out. One day, Primo Nebiolo said: “Erkki, you come from an ice-hockey country: you have to bring a team to the Games in Jaca (Spain-1995)!” I got students to help me and managed to build the team and find money for the flights. But then I also became president of the sub-committee for ice-hockey simply because the Canadian who had that role never showed up!
–Did being part of FISU open any doors for you?
-Oh yes, I made many friends and many connexions that helped me a lot. Not only for my university career but also for gymnastics. My friend Sergei Ivanov from Moscow, where the level of gymnastics was so much higher than in Finland, allowed me to visit their official training centre and learn from the best. I then did the same in Bulgaria and other countries. FISU has really helped me that way.
-You are now a FISU honorary member?
-Yes, I became an honorary member already in 1985 at the Duisburg Universiade, so it is special to be back in Germany. But being surrounded by all these young people helps me not to feel old, even if I miss all my friends who have now passed, like Primo Nebiolo. But we always need to look ahead.
-What do you think of FISU now?
-FISU is technically very strong, with many new sports joining this family along the way. I really enjoyed seeing all these new disciplines here in Germany. But more importantly FISU is no longer only a sports federation that organises competitions. FISU works every day to support all the students on campuses around the world.
-When did you meet President Leonz Eder? Have you known him a long time?
-Surprisingly enough I only bet him in Turin during the last Winter Games in January. When I became an honorary member, I distanced myself from FISU to dedicate more time to gymnastics and to helping the young kids in my hometown. So all these years I didn’t travel to come to the Games. Leonz is a lovely person who takes great care of FISU and of us honorary members, always making sure to invite us to a nice dinner and make us feel like we are still part of the family.
–You have retired from the university, but you are still a coach, right?
-Yes, my home is 60 km away from where I used to work. When I retired I decided to do something for the children and young people in my town of Keuruu. I built a gym facility as a gift for them and it works very well. I also started to coach mentally retarded people and I must admit I absolutely love working with them: they have the best sense of humour!
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