FISU President talks to Chinese Press

Shenzhen – Today, Tuesday May 11th, FISU President had a first formal talk with the Chinese press regarding his general impressions about Shenzhen.

With the presence of local, regional, national and international media such as China Daily, Xin Hua News Agency, Sina.com, China News Service and People’s Daily as well as Shenzhen TV Station, the media interest for Mr. Killian was overwhelming.

‘I’m always amazed when I return to Shenzhen’, Mr. Killian said to the press when asked about the city’s amazing development speed. ‘Every time I’m back I see new buildings have risen. This is an amazing city. Shenzhen will be forever reminded as a host city of the 2011 Summer Universiade and who knows, maybe in ten years down the road it might host the Olympics… Your citizens should be extremely proud of what has been accomplished so far.’

When asked what the core value of the Universiade is, Mr. Killian was very clear. ‘We are University Sport. We set Games for a certain group of people, in this case students, who attend university. That’s who we are and that’s what we do. We are not in the business of making money.’

‘I have to thank you for writing about FISU and the Universiade. You improve the knowledge of our games because you report about them’, the FISU President told the journalist answering a question about the image of FISU. ‘When I was at the SportAccord Convention in Dubai last month, a lot of Presidents of International Sports Federations came to talk to me. Look at all the sports mascots on this display’, Mr. Killian pointed out to the journalists referring to the mascots representing the sports at the Shenzhen Universiade. ‘All these ISF Presidents want their sport on our Games program. We would have twice as much. So I thank you for that and keep reporting about our Games.’

The journalists wanted to know if Shenzhen would be the best Universiade so far. ‘Of course’, the FISU President affirmed, ‘because you are the last one in line. You can use the experience of all previous organizers. You need to look back to become the best. And that’s what we do to help. We transfer all the knowledge from previous hosts to future hosts.’ Mr. Killian here referred to the fact that today he received a two-volume finale report from the OC of the 2009 Winter Universiade in Harbin. ‘The next host will receive a copy as well, the more knowledge, the stronger they will be’, the Mr. Killian added.

Tomorrow, the FISU President will visit a number of the venues and the Universiade Village, as well as the MPC and IBC.

On May 14th and 15th, President Killian will chair the Executive Committee meeting in Shenzhen.

C. Pierre, Press Officer

FISU President George E. Killian

President Killian being interviewed by Chen Hong from China Daily

Mr. Killian being interviewed by Shenzhen TV Station

(Photos: C. Pierre)