EKATERINBURG, RUSSIAN FEDERATION – A three-day inspection visit led by FISU Summer Games Director Marc Vanderplas continued their collaboration with the Summer World University Games hosts in the industrial heart of Russia. Local organisers and a three-member FISU delegation took part in a hard-driving programme visit that included visits to 2023 Games venues alongside meetings and progress reports.
Ekaterinburg also got to show off the city’s sporting passion as participants saw the hometown professional ice hockey team, Avtomobilist, take on Helsinki outfit Jokerit in a Kontinental Hockey League match.
The third official FISU inspection visit since Ekaterinburg won the rights to host the 2023 Summer Games, the focus this time was on event planning for the athletes’ village, information and technology services, transportation, and the sports competition programme. International promotion and broadcasting, and knowledge management were also key topics covered during the meetings. During the visit, the delegation inspected the Athletes’ Village, the sports and health complex “Sobol”, multi-purpose ice arena, a volleyball academy and the city’s sambo arena.
“We return delighted from our visit to Ekaterinburg. Organising an event the magnitude of the Summer World University Games on a compressed three year schedule is no small feat,” Vandenplas said. “But the organising committee for the 2023 Summer Games is working quite hard, with an impressive level of quality and professionalism from their fast start to hosting the Games. We already have the event organisational chart and event masterplan from Ekaterinburg, and we are working with them to make this a truly great event for the student-athletes.”
Ekaterinburg’s aspirations go beyond the Games’ more traditional field of play with the introduction of the Cultural Universiade to the event programme for the first time in the event’s history. An academic hub that sits on the threshold of Europe and Asia, local organisers noted how the addendum for the 32nd event edition further positions Ekaterinburg as a preminent sports destination, and centre of arts and culture.
“The next inspection visit of FISU was held in a working rhythm and was rich in content. We can say that we in tandem with our colleagues from the International Federation have already determined the right format for the effective joint effort,” said Alexander Chernov, General Director of the 2023 Summer Games.
“In addition, we organized for the guests a working day in Moscow, where useful talks with representatives of the Ministry of Sport of the Russian Federation and President of the Russian Student Sport Union were held. The most important point of such visits, of course, is the direct contact with the organizers at the venue of the future Games.”
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