Following the visit from our FISU Games Winter team in Italy, it was up to the FISU Games Summer team to head over to Germany to visit the Rhine-Ruhr region, potential candidate for the 2025 FISU World University Games. “It was 3 days of meetings and intense venue inspections with an overall high and enthusiastic support from all the cities involved in the project,” said Brian Carrer, Summer Games Event Manager. “The concept of the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games is very special, with a global decentralisation model as well as a cost-efficient and eco-friendly approach. The aim is to combine tradition and innovation in many areas.”
ADH Chairman of the board Jörg Förster looks back on the three days with satisfaction: “With the inspection visit in the books, we have mastered another important milestone in the bidding process to host the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU Games. Thanks to the great support of our partners, we succeeded in giving FISU – despite the Corona-related difficult framework conditions – diverse insights into the Rhine-Ruhr sports and cultural region. We were also able to discuss upcoming challenges together. We are well on the way to get the 2025 FISU Games to North Rhine-Westphalia. We are hoping for a positive decision by FISU this weekend!”
The FISU Executive Committee will come to the attributing decision during the next Executive Committee meeting on 15 May 2021. If Germany is to be awarded the 2025 FISU World University Games, formerly known as Universiade, about 10,000 athletes and officials from 170 countries are expected to travel to the Rhine-Ruhr region in July 2025 with competitions in 18 different sports being organised over twelve days. In addition to outstanding sports achievements, the event will also focus on science and innovation as well as intercultural and academic exchange.
“It would be a great pleasure for us should Germany host the 2025 FISU World University Games again since its last edition in 1989 during the 15th Summer Universiade in Duisburg, when they came to the rescue,” said FISU Secretary General-CEO Eric Saintrond. Originally, the 1989 Summer Universiade was supposed to take place in Sao Paulo, Brazil but a few months before the Sao Paulo Games were to start, the hosts were forced to back out because of a financial crisis in the South American nation, leaving FISU in search of a new last minute host city for the 15th Summer Universiade. Finally, with the help of the International Olympic Committee, FISU managed to find an angel city, Duisburg, which organised a scaled-down Universiade in 153 days. The strong collaboration and organisational skills resulted in a great event that reunited 79 countries and 1’800 athletes.
Acting FISU President Leonz Eder adds: “I would like to thank all those involved for allowing us to experience the convincing components of the German concept for the Rhine-Ruhr region. We have felt the enthusiasm, the will, and the power to make the 2025 FISU World University Games an outstanding experience for students from all over the world and the people of North Rhine-Westphalia as well as all of Germany. We hope that the German bidding process will result in a pleasing conclusion for all parties involved.”
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