The delegates from Krasnoyarsk presenting their Master Plan to Claude-Louis Gallien, FISU President (3rd from the right)
GWANGJU – For the second-day session of the FISU Executive Committee meeting in Gwangju, Verena Burk, Chair of the Media and Communication Committee (CMC), opened the debate. In presenting the report of the CMC, Verena Burk gave an update of the Young Reporters’ Programme implemented this year for the Gwangju Universiade. This programme is now in its 3rd edition and is very important for our federation since it offers the opportunity for young journalists to gain experience and training as part of FISU’s major multi-sport event. The CMC has received 121 applications from 49 countries on 5 continents. The CMC will now proceed with the selection of two candidates (possibly a man and a woman) by continent. Dejan Susovic, FISU Media Director gave a detailed presentation of the progress on the television coverage of our events. Finally, Verena Burk informed the Executive Committee of the FISU programme set up by the CMC to maximize our presence on social networks worldwide.
Verena Burk (left), Chair of the CMC with Dejan Susovic, Media and Communication Director
Then the floor was given to Dr. Lawrence Rink, Chair of the International Medical Committee, to present to the EC the work of his committee on the hospital services that will be offered during the 2015 Winter and Summer Universiades. Dr. Rink was very satisfied with the services offered by both Organising Committees and highlighted the fact that the medical coverage of the games would be carried out very professionally. Dr. Rink also reported on the response needed to prevent the spread of the Ebola virus. Temperature checks should be performed before entry into the Athletes’ Village, and therefore at airports and train stations. However, the situation regarding this virus is evolving every day and new measures could be taken, or not, based on this development.
Delegates of the Organising Committee of the 2017 Summer Universiade in Taipei City then took the floor to inform the EC on the progress of the preparation of the 29th Summer Universiade. Four new optional sports were proposed but only two of them were accepted by the EC: roller sports and wushu. Information regarding the recruitment of staff to work for the OC in the months ahead was given, as well as details of the construction of the Athletes’ Village, which began in March 2014 and will end in December 2016. The OC is currently working on the distribution of sports in the various existing sites.
Brasilia 2019 was the next item on the agenda. Led by Luciano Cabral, President of the 2019 Summer Universiade Organising Committee, the delegation presented the various actions it developed that will be implemented in the upcoming months including the establishment of the master plan. It also reaffirmed its commitment to supply FISU all the guarantees necessary for the continuation of the process for the preparation of this event.
The delegates from Almaty 2017 OC
The Executive Committee then turned to the preparations for the Winter Universiade.
Analyzing the situation in Granada, host of the 27th Winter Universiade in 2015, the members of the FISU Executive Committee made recommendations to the Organizing Committee so that the Universiade will take place in the best conditions. Slovakia (Strbske Pleso and Osrblie) will support the organization of Nordic skiing and biathlon competitions next Winter Universiade. The Slovak delegates who had very little time to prepare both competitions came to present their report to the EC focusing on the experience of Slovakia in the organization of such competitions. Let’s recall that Slovakia has hosted the Winter Universiade twice before, in 1987 and 1999. Details have been given of the sports venues as well as information regarding the housing and entry formalities for Slovakia.
The preparation of the 2017 Winter Games to be held in Almaty (KAZ) is on track. The delegates of the Organizing Committee were keen to stress this at the presentation of their progress report. The preparations are taking place in accordance with the master plan. The core staff that currently makes up the OC will remain in place until the end of the games which will facilitate all working sessions with FISU. A meeting of the Supervision Committee of the Universiade is scheduled in the month of May 2015 while a second visit of the CTI will be held there in November 2015.
The WUC team with from left to right: Paulo Ferreira, WUC Director, Leonz Eder, CTI Chair and luciano Cabral, CTI vice-Chair
The OC delegates of the 2019 Winter Universiade in Krasnoyarsk (RUS) presented their master plan for the games. They also proposed the date of the Universiade (2-12 March 2019), and finally they presented the programme that in addition to the compulsory sports will include two optional sports, i.e. ski orienteering and freestyle skiing.
To end this session, the Department of World University Championships gave an update of the events of 2014, participation statistics, media coverage as well as an internal evaluation of the events so far. An update of the situation in 2016 was also presented with the confirmation of the WUC cycling in Tagaytay (PHI). The procedure for allocating WUCs for 2018 was also explained with a list of sports available (including roller sports and wushu). The department also presented an overview of its current workload: signing of agreements with the international federations, new regulations, appointment of technical delegates, etc. The WUC Department will host its seminar for the 2016 WUC Organizing Committees from 6 to 8 May, 2015 in Brussels, Belgium. Finally, the EC has been informed of the request of the World Badminton Federation to enter the compulsory programme of the Universiade.
Claude-Louis Gallien (right) signing the MOU with the mayor of Ulaanbaatar, Mr. Erdeniin Bat-Uul
On the sidelines of the meeting, FISU President Claude-Louis Gallien has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Mayor of Ulaanbaatar (MGL), Mr. Bat-Uul Erdeniin, and this in the context of cooperation for the organization of future events under the auspices of FISU in Mongolia.
Yvan Dufour, Editor-in-Chief