BERLIN – The German University Sports Federation (adh) has taken a further step towards applying for the Summer Universiade 2025. On 16 October 2019, representatives of the association gave an overview of the project to the sports committee with members of all Bundestag fractions being present at the meeting.
2016 Olympic gold medallist Fabian Hambüchen, in his function as adh ambassador for a possible German application for the Summer Universiade 2025, reported enthusiastically about his experiences at the students world games. The German university athlete of the years 2013 and 2015 emphasized that the Summer Universiade is the world’s largest multi-sport event after the Olympic Games with a good mix of students who compete for medals at the Olympic Games as well as those who are yet preparing for participating in future Olympics.
The fact that the Universiade is not yet as well-known in Germany as in Eastern European or Asian countries should not be a problem for a German host. While adh CEO Jörg Förster was optimistic that Germany would be able to develop the enthusiasm for sports on site, Hambüchen affirmed that “we can fill the halls with spectators”. In addition, Förster emphasized that a realisation in Germany could also have relevance for an Olympic bid by Germany as a successful organisation of an Universiade could prove, “that major events can be carried out in a sustainable and resource-conserving manner”. Förster said, that adh was therefore in intensive exchange with the Rhine-Ruhr City Olympic Initiative, which is preparing an application for the 2032 Summer Olympics.
All in all, the politicians from all parliamentary groups were very satisfied with the sustainable and resource-saving concept of adh but also made it clear that further discussions with the municipalities and the state of Northern Rhine Westphalia are necessary for the next step in order to calculate a precise cost breakdown. Jörg Förster therefore summed it up for the sports information service (sid): “It was one of many small steps. It remains a positive feeling. There are people who believe in the same ideas as we do. They support us if we do our job well.”
One day later, all medal winners of the 2019 Winter and Summer Universiade in Krasnoyarsk and Naples were honoured in Berlin whilst being invited to an official ceremony of the Federal Ministry of the Interior. Together with athletes of Makkabi Germany, who were invited for their performances at the European Makkabi Games, adh athletes were welcomed by Parliamentary State Secretary Stephan Mayer. Mayer, who had visited the German delegation in Italy three months ago, paid tribute to the sporting successes of the winter and summer sports students with conviction and great enthusiasm: “With the intercultural sporting encounter of young students from different countries and different ethnic backgrounds, Universiades are making an essential contribution to a united togetherness and a living mutual understanding. The largest multi-sport event after the Olympic Games is a very special opportunity for our German athletes to measure their sporting achievements in international comparison”.
In addition to winter sports aces Tobias Müller (LMU Munich; Gold Slopestyle Ski), Lea Bouard (Université Savoie Mont Blanc; Gold Dual Moguls, Silver Moguls) and Sophie Weese (Uni Tübingen; Bronze Dual Moguls), four athletes from the Summer University also accepted the invitation. Besides Caterina Granz (FU Berlin; Gold 1.500m), Frederic Kindler (Uni Hohenheim; Silver Sabre Fencing Single, Silver Sabre Fencing Team), Jessica-Bianca Wessolly (PH Heidelberg; Silver 200m) and Henning Prüfer (Uni Potsdam; Bronze Discus) were also present.