EUSA visits Sweden

EUSA and SAIF Delegates

LJUBJANA – On the Invitation of the Swedish University Sports Federation (SAIF) Mr Alberto Gualtieri, EUSA President and Mr Matjaz Pecovnik, EUSA Secretary General visited Sweden from December 19-21, 2010. The EUSA representatives were welcomed by Mrs Johanna S:t. Clair Renard, SAIF President and Mr Stefan Bergh, SAIF International Committee President and FISU Vice-President. The aim of the visit was to discuss the possibilities to increase the involvement of Sweden in the EUSA activities, both in terms of participation and organization of the events. For that reason several meetings were held in Uppsala, the city where the main office of the federation is located.

The visit started with the meeting with the City Commissioner, Mrs Cecilia Fors and Chief Marketing Officer Mr Magnus Lohe. As SAIF and the City are building a long term partnership which includes also the organization of the university sports events in Uppsala, the city representatives assured their full support for the organization of an European Universities Championship in Uppsala in the near future. At the end of the meeting Mr Gualtieri thanked the City Commissioner for her support to the university sport projects and presented her the EUSA Plaquette.

After the meeting the participants visited the Fyrishov Arena, where they were welcomed by the Chief Executive Mrs Liisa E Hundertmark. Fyrishov is one of the most famous arenas for sport, recreation and events in Sweden and is foreseen to be the venue of the potential future EUSA events in Sweden. Mrs Hundertmark presented the details on the sport facilities, after which a guided tour around Arena was made for the participants.

In the afternoon the meeting was held at the Uppsala University, the most famous university in Sweden with more than 40,000 students. Deputy Vice Chancellor Mrs Kerstin Sahlin welcomed the EUSA and SAIF representatives, who presented the University Authorities their activities with a wish for intense future mutual collaboration on the field of the University Sports. Mrs Sahlin expressed her full support to the projects presented. After the meeting a guided tour to the University and City was made for the EUSA representatives.

On December 21st, 2010 a working meeting was held in Uppsala Gustavianum Museum. Mrs. S:t Clair Renard presented the activities and strategic plan of SAIF for the future. At the end of her presentation, the SAIF President presented Mr. Gualtieri the Letter of Intention to organize the European Universities Badminton Championship in 2013. ‘I am sure that collaboration between the National University Sports Federation, the City of Uppsala, the University and the local organizers will make a strong event in 2013, the year when our federation celebrates its 100th Anniversary’ Mrs S:t Clair Renard added.

The EUSA activities with a special focus on the organization of the European Universities Championships were presented to the participants by Mr Pecovnik. After the presentations a fruitful discussion was held on the future collaboration on the field of the university sport.

At the end of the meeting Mr Gualtieri thanked the hosts for their hospitality and presented them the EUSA Plaquette. ‘I am looking forward to our cooperation and organization of the first European Universities Championships in your country’, he added.

(Source: Matjaz Pecovnik, EUSA Secretary General)

Matjaz Pecovnik, Johanna S:t. Clair Renard, Alberto Gualtieri & Stefan Bergh

At the University

The City Commissioner & the EUSA President