2013 SU Update: Kazan 2013 Executive Committee holds 2010 Year in Review

KAZAN – The ‘2010 Year in Review’ press conference was organized yesterday, December 28th by the Kazan 2013 Executive Committee in one of the 2013 Summer Universiade venues – Ak Bars Wrestling Palace.

The event was held by Kazan 2013 top managers: Director General Vladimir Leonov, First Deputy Director General Azat Kadyrov, Deputies Director General Igor Sivov, Farid Abdulganiev and Ildar Nizamutdinov. The press conference focused on the discussion of interim results of the preparation for the 2013 Summer Universiade and goals for 2011.

Vladimir Leonov reported the 2010 results: «25 sports venues and stadiums were put into operation within the period of 2009-2010. Most recently we held the inauguration ceremony of the Sankt-Peterburg Volleyball Centre which was attended by First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation – Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the 27th World University Summer Games of 2013 in Kazan Igor Shuvalov», the Kazan 2013 Director General stated. In his speech he also remarked that basic concepts for delivery of the Universiade had been developed and adopted in 2010. The concepts include sports legacy that defines the universities and institutes that will receive control over the newly constructed Universiade venues, transport infrastructure, volunteers training, preparation and delivery of major cultural programs, official ceremonies, medical support, anti-doping, sanitary and epidemiological control.

Azat Kadyrov reported that over 50 test events were scheduled to be held in the two coming years in Kazan within preparation for the 2013 World Universiade. According to FISU’s minimum requirements, the host city is to stage sporting events in all the sports included in the Universiade program.

Deputy Director General Igor Sivov told about events dedicated to the handover of the Universiade flag. Kazan is to take the baton from Shenzhen, China to host the next World University Summer Games. It is expected that the Universiade symbol will travel to major university cities of Russia. The flag is scheduled to be delivered to Kazan on Day of the Republic, August 30th.

Universiade Village Mayor Farid Abdulganiev told about the functioning of the unique student campus that accommodates more than 2,500 students from 39 foreign countries. «When accommodating students we’ve reproduced the procedure maximally close to the Universiade accreditation procedure approved by the FISU Executive Committee. Due to a well-coordinated work and detailed accommodation planning, 1,142 students moved into the Universiade Village within 8 hours», the Universiade Village Mayor stated.

Upon completion of the press conference, the Kazan 2013 top managers thanked the republican and federal media representatives for their interest in the Universiade project and expressed hope for further effective cooperation in coverage of events and preparation stages of the first top-level sporting event in modern Russia, the Summer Universiade.

(Source: Media Department of Kazan 2013 Executive Committee)