Lucerne 2021 Winter Universiade to be held in December 2021

The Executive Committee of the International University Sports Federation (FISU) met virtually today and approved the proposal to hold the next winter edition of the FISU World University Games in December 2021.

LAUSANNE, Switzerland – FISU President Oleg Matytsin opened the virtual meeting of the Executive Committee, by thanking the FISU Family for continuing to drive university sport through the coronavirus pandemic, and with a word of good news.

President Matytsin announced FISU’s joint decision with the Lucerne 2021 Winter Universiade Organising Committee to hold the event from 11 to 21 December 2021, in Central Switzerland and Lenzerheide. Since late August, the organisers had halted preparations for the 30th edition of this unique event, initially scheduled to take place in January 2021, and looked into the possibility of postponing it, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“We are extremely pleased that the Winter Universiade 2021 can still take place in spite of the pandemic-induced postponement,” said FISU President Oleg Matytsin. “After very careful consultation between all relevant stakeholders, including the six cantons of Central Switzerland, we mutually agreed to hold the event in December 2021.”

The decision to evaluate the possibility to postpone the Games from January 2021 to a later date was taken on 31 August 2020. Since then, FISU worked closely with the Organising Committee, the involved winter sports International Federations and all stakeholders to try and find a solution for holding the postponed Games in December 2021.

“We worked closely with our national member federations as well as the six International Federations governing the sports of the Winter Games. December 2021 had emerged as the strongest possibility for rescheduling the Games,” said FISU Secretary General-CEO Eric Saintrond.

Through a written statement, President of the Organising Committee and Cantonal Councillor of Lucerne, Guido Graf said, “It was only thanks to enormous commitment and good collaboration between the cantons, the city of Lucerne and the main stakeholders in the sports industry and the region that we were able to present FISU with this proposal to postpone the event.”

The FISU President also thanked the Lucerne 2021 Organising Committee for their tireless efforts and support through a challenging time.

“On behalf of everyone at FISU, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the State authorities of Switzerland, the different Cantons and the Lucerne 2021 Organising Committee for their unwavering commitment,” he said. “Let us now deliver on the promise of international university sport for thousands of young athletes around the world.”

FISU First Vice-President Leonz Eder addressed the FISU Executive Committee and said, “The Organising Committee has worked very hard to examine and evaluate the possibility of postponing the Games. The OC was supported throughout by FISU, the Swiss Federal Office of Sport, Swiss Olympic and Swiss University Sports. I would like to express my sincere thanks to all, for the efforts made.”

Future editions of the FISU World University Games

FISU Secretary General-CEO Eric Saintrond had more positive news in store as he updated the Executive Committee on the progress regarding the bids from Germany and Italy to host the FISU World University Games in 2025 respectively.

“We have received confirmation of intent from our friends in CUS Torino (Centro Universitario Sportivo, Torino),” said Saintrond. “And we are working closely with them to prepare the bidding book.”

The FISU SG-CEO also mentioned that work continues with the German University Sports Federation (adh) regarding the region’s candidacy for the 2025 Summer Games, although planned technical visits have had to be postponed to early next year, due to the pandemic.

Reports from FISU Committees & Roundtables

An update from the Sport Management Committee (CGS) meeting was provided, confirming that the 2022 FISU WUC Ski Orienteering has been attributed to Jachymov (CZE). 

SG-CEO Eric Saintrond added a note about the sport of Ski Orienteering, that was part of the programme at the Krasnoyarsk 2019 Winter Universiade and is also on the programme at Lucerne 2021. He said the sport is being considered for the programme at Lake Placid 2023 and is viewed favourably as part of the compulsory sport programme for future editions of the winter Games.

Dusan Hamar, Chair of the FISU International Medical Committee, updated the Executive Committee that the final version of FISU’s Anti-Doping regulations were almost ready and will be submitted to WADA for approval in the next few weeks.

Reports were then presented by the Gender Equality Committee, the Student Committee as well as the FISU Roundtables on Sustainable Development, Ethics & Governance, and FISU Relations with Universities. Among notable developments, the proposal to institute a new biannual Gender Equality Champion Award (individual) was approved by the FISU Executive.

President Oleg Matytin then closed the Executive Committee meeting on another positive note, announcing that UNESCO has expressed its strong interest in cooperating with FISU on the FISU Healthy Campus project. 

The next FISU EC meeting will be held online at the end of January in 2021.