Portuguese Government recognized Public Interest for 2014 WUC

LISBOA – The Portuguese government, represented by Emídio Guerreiro, Secretary of State for Sport and Youth, recognized through an order published recently, the Public Interest of the two FISU World University Championships, Beach Volleyball and Handball, held this summer, in Portugal.

In the document can be read that these events “have increased international recognition from year to year”. The 7^th WUC Beach Volleyball is expecting “the participation of about 48 pairs of athletes, of both genders representing 21 countries, spread across 5 continents” and the 22^nd WUC Handball expects “several hundred athletes from 18 countries”.

For the Government, conducting these competitions in Portugal “is a stimulus to increase sport exercise, especially by young people, and contribute to the development of culture of volunteering and, unequivocally, to the reputation of Portugal at the international level and for the affirmation of our country as a preferred venue for major sporting events”.

The 7^th edition of the FISU WUC Beach Volleyball will take place from 23 to 27 July in Porto, an event organized by FADU and Porto Academic Federation with the University of Porto and the Polytechnic of Porto.

Rubén Alves, President of the Organizing Committee, believes that the recognition of the Secretary of State “means that there is an involvement at the highest level in this competition, which will provide the best for the participants of the event. The involvement of the Secretary of State for Sport and Youth is an additional institutional support and an incentive factor for this competition”, the representative commented.

The 22^nd FISU WUC Handball is hosted in Guimarães, from 3 to 10 August by FADU, the University of Minho and University of Minho’s Students Union (AAUM).

Carlos Videira, President of the Organizing Committee, thinks that the order “is a very strong institutional recognition which highlights the importance of the event and even the Portuguese university sport. The status of public interest gives the competition a greater projection and credibility, also due to the success of the work done in the past, in other events and organizations,” explained Carlos Videira.  “It is a vote of confidence for the organization”, he concluded.

For Filipa Godinho, FADU President “once again the Portuguese university sport is recognized for the quality and excellence of international university sport events, proof of the merit of the Portuguese institutions in their organization.”

(Source: FADU)