TRIESTE – This year’s third meeting of the European University Sports Association took place in Trieste, Italy on October 27, 2012. The meeting was hosted by the Italian University Sport Centre (CUSI) and its local member CUS Trieste, and took place at the local rowing club Saturnia, just a few steps away from the Adriatic Sea.
EUSA Executive Committee members and staff were welcomed by the representatives of CUSI, including the President Mr Leonardo Coiana, Vice-President Mr Artemio Carra, Secretary General Mr Antonio Dima and EUSA and CUSI Executive Committee Member Mr Romano Isler. The meeting started with an informal dinner in a traditional Italian restaurant on Friday evening.
On Saturday, the working part of the meeting started, with a full and busy agenda. EUSA President Mr Roczek opened the meeting, also formally thanking the hosts for their hospitality. At the occasion he also awarded EUSA plaques and memorial EUSA anniversary books to the representatives of CUSI and Mr Isler for hosting the meeting.
During the meeting, general reports by the President Mr Adam Roczek, Secretary General Mr Matjaz Pecovnik and the Treasurer Mr Olaf Tabor were given first. After discussion and approval of the reports, EUSA Executive Committee members then focused on specific items related to the functioning of EUSA and related activities.
EUSA sport events were discussed first; giving special focus on the report from the European Universities Games. Even though only the first edition of the Games was held this summer in Córdoba, Spain, all the results and feedbacks show that this was a very successful and positive event, both for the participating university teams, as well as for EUSA as organisation and its member federations. EUSA Sports Manager Mr Patrik Perosa also presented the updated statistics. The final report will be presented by the organisers at the next EUSA EC meeting and also at the General Assembly.
Next, the progress report of the 2013 European Universities Championships and the 2014 European Universities Games were discussed, also in the light of the upcoming November EUSA Convention for the organisers of these events. The members were also informed about the call for candidatures for the 2015 Championships and 2016 Games, which is open until December 1, 2012.
Related to the Games, EUSA Executive Committee members also discussed the Awards for the current year; to be presented at the next EUSA General Assembly, to be held in Portugal in mid March 2013. Before the break, the organisers of the 26th Winter Universiade Trentino 2013 made a short presentation of the event and the preparations.
After the break, the changes and updates of the rules and regulations were presented, followed by a discussion and adaptation of an action plan, as these rules will already be in force for the 2013 European Universities Championships. EUSA’s partnership and involvement in other European projects was then presented by the Communications Manager Mr Andrej Pisl and Mr Pecovnik presented the report on the FISU projects.
EUSA President presents gifts to hosts
The Executive Committee confirmed Mr Dinos Pavlou to be the Advisor to the President and also appointed some Commission members. The Technical Delegate for Rugby 7s, Mr Volker Lange-Berlin from Germany completed the nomination of the Technical Commission. In the Media & Communication Commission Mr Michal Filarski from Poland and Mr Valentin Dupouey from France were appointed as members. In the Medical Commission Mrs Abosede Ajayi and Mr Timo Hinrichs were appointed as members. Mrs Isabel Collischonn was named the Chair of the Student Commission and the remaining Student Commission members will be appointed by the end of November.
Last part of the meeting was dedicated to the budget, financial situation and regulations and the meeting concluded with discussion on international cooperation and presentation of some of the most visible activities of EUSA member associations, European institutions and other EUSA partner organisations.
The next Executive Committee meeting will be held in Zagreb, Croatia between January 24 and 27, 2013.
(Source: Andrej Pisl, EUSA Communications Manager)