FISU CSU inspects Kazan’s readiness for 2013 Summer Universiade

Kemal Tamer & Isato Igarashi

KAZAN – The 2nd inspection visit of the FISU Summer Universiade Supervision Committee scrutinises the progress made in Kazan in preparation for the 27th Summer Universiade. Representatives of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate delivered a presentation on the host city’s readiness for the Games during the FISU CSU meeting that took place at the Korston Mall and Hotel on Wednesday 13 February.

FISU СSU Chair Kemal Tamer, FISU Secretary-General/CEO Eric Saintrond, FISU CSU Member/FISU CTI Chair for the Summer Universiade John Warnock, FISU Director for the Summer Universiade Marc Vandenplas, FISU 1st Vice President and RSSU President Oleg Matytsin and other officials took part in the event. 

During his talk to reporters, First Deputy Director General of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate Azat Kadyrov highlighted Kazan’s full readiness to stage the Summer Universiade in terms of organisational process. “We are all set, although there are still issues that need to get final approval, including approval from our FISU colleagues.” This FISU CSU inspection visit is the last one and an extended report will be prepared on its basis for the FISU Executive Committee Meeting which is due to be held in March 2013. 

The event was also attended by representatives of the Taipei 2017 SU Organising Committee who had come to the capital of Tatarstan for the Kazan 2013 Observer Programme. 

The presentation introduced FISU to the functional areas that cover all aspects of the planning and preparations for the premier university sports event. For example, personnel recruitment, volunteer training and universities relations are three functional areas united into one group while Games-time transportation provision is included in the same block with arrival and departure services and so on. 

Eric Saintrond & Marc Vandenplas

Azat Kadyrov informed the meeting that all preparatory works ahead of the Games are conducted in compliance with the FISU Minimum Requirements and with the assistance of Russia’s Ministry for Sports, the Government of the Republic of Tatarstan and Tatarstan’s Ministry for Youth Affairs, Sports and Tourism. 15 working groups led by heads of ministries and departments were created in the Republiс of Tatarstan to ensure that the host city is preparing effectively for the period of the Games. Azat Kadyrov praised their close and fruitful teamwork and extended his gratitude to partners of the 2013 Summer Universiade. 

The speaker also mentioned key dates, critically important events that Kazan is going to host ahead of the Games and such important steps in the preparation for the summer of 2013 as the accreditation process, the development of the sports programme, the Universiade Torch Relay and so on. The presentation also largely focused on the cooperation with FISU and NUSFs. According to Azat Kadyrov, one of the most important breakthroughs in the build-up to the Summer Universiade is the introduction of a visa-free regime (by the Russian President’s decree) for all the participants of the Games.

Ranko Tepavcevic & Azat Kadyrov

Ranko Tepavcevic, Senior Consultant of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate, provided updates on the sports programme, a key component of organising the Games. The Games programme features 27 sports with a total of 351 medal events being contested. They are athletics, basketball, fencing, football, artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, judo, swimming, diving, water polo, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, boxing, shooting, synchronised swimming, rowing, canoe sprint, sambo, wrestling, belt wrestling, chess, weightlifting, rugby 7, field hockey, badminton and beach volleyball. Five of the already mentioned sports – belt wrestling, rugby 7, sambo, synchronised swimming and boxing – will make a debut at the 2013 Summer Universiade. 13,500 athletes and members of delegations, 170 nations, 1,500 journalists and approximately 100,000 visitors and sports fans from Russia and abroad are expected to come to Kazan for the Games. 2,361 judges, 1,547 of whom will be national and 814 will be international, will be invited to judge the Summer Universiade. 

As of today, almost 12,500 athletes and team officials from 125 countries have already submitted entry forms, expressing their eagerness to compete in the 27th Summer Universiade in July 2013. With only a few months to go before the premier university sports event starts in Kazan, these figures show that the global sports community’s interest in the upcoming Games is growing.

Meeting with President Minnikhanov

The inspection visit will last for two more days. It is expected that the delegates will get a better understanding of how work is conducted across all functional areas and also visit a number of competition venues and infrastructure facilities. Also earlier this day, the FISU representatives met with President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov. 

(Source: Kazan 2013 Media Dept./RT President’s Press Service)