FISU President’s Press Conference

KAZAN – On July 5th, FISU hosted its traditional press conference one day prior to the Opening Ceremony of the Universiade. Besides FISU President Claude-Louis Gallien and FISU Secretary-General/CEO Eric Saintrond, Natalia Parshikova, Secretary of State, Deputy Minister of Sport, Tourism and Youth Policy of the Russian Federation and RSSU President and FISU 1st Vice-President Oleg Matytsin were present at the press conference.

Claude-Louis Gallien

President Gallien introduced FISU to the press and gave an answer to the question why organise the Universiade. ‘The vision of FISU is youth. With 150 000 students and several universities, Kazan is a real ‘City of students’. Mr. Gallien also dwelled on what has been achieved by the Kazan hosts ‘Tremendous work has been done in Human resources: selection and training of 20,000 volunteers from Russia and all over the world as well as training 5,000 temporary staff; 30 new high technology venues were built and 20 refurbished. A fantastic Universiade Village is welcoming almost 12,000 athletes in very good conditions and let’s not forget the improved urbanism: a new international airport, new city transportation systems, renewed highways, new modern infrastructures, a new hospital, new hotels, landscape cleaning and gardening. The Universiade has truly changed the look of the city and what a legacy!’

Eric Saintrond

SG/CEO Saintrond mentioned the outstanding media coverage for the Universiade with some 160hrs live on Eurosport, live on ESPN, distribution by ABU in the Asian-Pacific region and many more. ‘The presence of the majority of the Presidents of the International Sports Federations of the sports on this Universiade’s sports programme will be present as well as three candidates for the IOC Presidency, i.e. Sergei Bubka, Denis Oswald and Ching-Kuo Wu indicates that the international sports world values the Universiade.’

Natalia Parshikova

Mrs Parshikova confirmed the support of the Russian Federation for the Universiade and the importance of the event for the country, the region and the city. ‘We have well prepared this great event’, the Secretary of State said giving an overview of all preparations.

Oleg Matytsin

Mr. Matytsin gave an update on the Russian delegation and the strength of Russian University Sport. ‘We have the biggest delegation ever at a Universiade more than 600 athletes with a lot of Olympians and 300 officials.’

C. Pierre, Press Officer