The first year on the way to the FISU World University Games 2023 in Ekaterinburg

Ekaterinburg successfully hosted competitions from the 2018 FIFA World Cup one year before earning the right to hold the Summer Universiade in 2023. (Image: Ekateringburg 2023)

On the eve of the start to the Napoli 2019 Summer Universiade, the FISU Executive Committee entrusted the right to host the FISU World University Games to Ekaterinburg in the summer of 2023.

The 23-member strong FISU Executive Committee voted unanimously in support of Ekaterinburg’s successful candidature.

This week, FISU Secretary General Eric Saintrond looked back on this landmark decision for international university sports.

“Exactly one year ago, on the 2nd of July, FISU approved the candidacy of Ekaterinburg as the capital of the Summer World University Games in 2023,” Saintrond said. “We had no doubt in making this decision. Russia is known as an excellent organizer of major sports events. The Universiades in Kazan and Krasnoyarsk are good examples. I am sure the preparation and organization of the Games in Ekaterinburg will be at the highest level.”

Over the past year, the Director of the FISU World Summer Games Director, Mark Vandenplas, has been to Russia several times and has seen firsthand the progress of preparations for the main sporting event of 2023.

“I have witnessed with my own eyes the practical progress of the preparations for the Games,” Vandenplas said. “Several times I visited Ekaterinburg on inspection visits. The tasks for the organizers are not easy, given the tight deadlines for large-scale preparation. In addition, we are well aware of the approach of Russian partners who always want to be on top.

“The situation, of course, is complicated today by the coronavirus pandemic,” Vandenplas added. “But even if this is not easy situation, we managed to find a solution: we are constantly and efficiently working with our organising committee colleagues online. We did not slow down the process for a minute. My experience in organizing the FISU World University Games allows me to be sure that everything is going according to plan.”