Successful inspection visit ahead of proposed Torino 2025 FISU World University Games

The Pala Tazzoli venue in TorinoTURIN, Italy – A FISU delegation led by FISU Games Winter Director Milan Augustin conducted a preliminary inspection visit to Turin, Bardoneccchia and Pragelato in Italy, to meet with the Candidature Committee and visit the sport and non-sport venues of the proposed Torino 2025 FISU World University Games. 

Turin city and the Piedmont region had established a Candidature Committee in late 2020, with the purpose of bidding to host FISU’s flagship winter sports event in 2025. 

Turin is the birthplace of the FISU World University Games, formerly known as the Universiade, as the first-ever edition was hosted there in 1959.

“We are working closely with CUS Torino (Centro Universitario Sportivo, Torino) to support them in preparing the bid book,” said FISU Secretary General-CEO Saintrond. “It would be a great delight for us should Torino and the Piedmont Region host the FISU World University Games again. Italy has hosted four summer and six winter editions in the past, and we are always immensely grateful to CUSI (Centro Universitario Sportivo Italiano) for this. It will be very satisfying to see the FISU Games return there.”

The 4-day visit included technical inspections of Bardonecchia, the proposed venue for Alpine Skiing, Freestyle & Freeski and Snowboard, Pragelato for Biathlon and Cross-Country Skiing and the city of Torino itself for ice sports and the opening and closing ceremonies. The cities of Pinerolo and Torre Pellice are being considered for ice sports, as per the Candidature Dossier, but were not visited. 

“Visiting former Universiade venues in Bardonecchia, Pragelato and Torino reminded me of many brilliant sporting and social moments during the successful 2007 Winter Universiade,” said Milan Augustin, FISU Games Winter Director. 

“Many personnel from those past Games are still working in the same functional areas and more importantly, they have the same passion as before. This will be key to the delivery of a successful edition of the FISU Games.”

Bardonecchia Olympic Village“The FISU Games Winter department could see the potential of using several sport and non-sport venues from the 2006 Olympics or 2007 Winter Universiade,” added Augustin. “Even after 14 years, these venues are in a very good shape although they will need some updating to reach current international standards.”

During the first two days of the visit, operational meetings were also held regarding the Candidature Dossier, and CUS Torino President Riccardo D’Elicio expressed his gratitude for FISU’s proactive stance in developing candidatures for the FISU World University Games. 

“A heartfelt thanks to the FISU delegation that through its visit to Turin has further strengthened the already solid relations with CUSI and CUS Torino, creating the preconditions for the candidature of Italy, of Piedmont and of Turin for the winter edition of the 2025 FISU World University Games,” said D’Elicio.

“The world of university sport will always find in Turin a team that is passionate and determined to grow the value of sport and university education in the territory. I am sure that Torino 2025 will be an extraordinary opportunity to achieve these goals, leaving a unique legacy in terms of professionalism, relations, image and infrastructure that can give further impetus to the growth of the regional university system.”

An image from the Winter Universiade in Turin in 2007The FISU delegation’s first assessment was positive about the fact that the project includes sustainability in many areas: environmental, social, economic and in the development of university sport.

The Candidature Dossier will be officially submitted to FISU by end of March 2021, to be followed by an evaluation visit in April. Should everything be in order, official attribution is expected to take place in May 2021. 

The next winter edition of the FISU World University Games is the Lucerne 2021 Winter Universiade, scheduled to take place from 11-21 December in the Swiss city of Lucerne, where the best student-athletes from around the world will compete in 10 sports. Lake Placid in the United States is due to host the FISU World University Games in 2023.