2012 WUC Update: Futsal and Chess WUCOC start warm-up with Taekwondo

Medals of the University of Minho sport events

BRAGA – The Organising Committees of the 2012 World University Championships in Futsal and Chess will already be in action this December with the organisation of the European Universities Championships in Taekwondo.

Indeed, the team behind these two FISU events will start training volunteers and testing programs for the big events next summer, despite already having significant experience in international university sports events.

The University of Minho sports service was created in 1995 and has since then, in cooperation with the University of Minho Students Union, organized top events at national and international levels. Some examples are the 1998 World University Futsal Championship, the 2004 European Universities Volleyball Championship, the 1997 and 2002 National Finals of the Portuguese University Championships, the 2004 Qualifying Tournament for the World FIFA Futsal Championship, the 2006 European Universities Basketball Championship, the 2008 World University Badminton Championship, the 2009 and 2011 European Universities Taekwondo Championship.

Further to these events, the team is currently engaged in the referred 2012 World University Championships in Futsal and Chess, as well as the guaranteed organisation of the 2014 World University Handball Championship.

Sports is a key pillar at the University of Minho with the sport service and sport program being recognised by sports and academic authorities, at national and international levels, by the excellence of the facilities, skilled and experienced staff, and quality of service. The sport program is planned for the academic community and is fully orientated to the needs and expectations of students, staff and professors. In the academic year of 2010/2011, 10,637 users are enrolled in the sports services representing 49% of the academic community with a regular practise of sport in University of Minho sport facilities.

The University, founded in 1975, is also partner with various national federations, such as basketball, football, handball, badminton, volleyball, taekwondo, and karate. These federations use the University of Minhosport facilities on a regular basis to host both national and international events, as well as for training camps to prepare national teams for important events.

(Source: Roque Teixeira, 2012 WUCOC Futsal and Chess)