It is just under three years to the opening ceremony of the Torino 2025 FISU World University Games Winter and on Thursday, the organising committee took a major step in their planning with the unveiling of their official games logo, at the Italian pavilion during the Dubai Expo.

After reviewing the many creative submissions, the chosen design was that of Torino native Matteo Belletti. His design of a large U that includes the design elements of FISU’s colours, skis, and Torino’s iconic city landmark the Mole Antonelliana, was the one ultimately selected by the organising committee and approved by FISU. The 24-year-old Belletti is a native of Torino and is currently a student enrolled in the Faculty of Communication, ICT, and Media at the University of Turin. 

“I was still a child when there were the 2006 Olympics and the last 2007 Universiade in our city, so I wanted to at least try to be part of this event and I decided to participate in the announcement. I am very excited and proud to have done something great for an important first level event for Turin,” said Belletti. He added thoughts on some of the sports he’ll be looking forward to as part of the Torino 2025 FISU Games. “I really like winter sports, even alpine skiing which I watch a lot on television, and I’d like to try cross-country skiing, because it inspires me as a discipline.” Belletti’s logo will feature prominently in the visual identity of the games from now up to when they take place in early 2025.

Torino and FISU have a long, shared history that FISU Acting President Leonz Eder spoke about proudly. “. . . I congratulate the leaders of CUS [Centro Universitario Sportivo] Torino, the City of Torino and the Region of Piedmont for their always outstanding contribution to the university sports movement worldwide. FISU and Torino, this has been a success story since the foundation of FISU in Torino in 1949 and the first Universiade in the capital of Piedmont in 1959 and has enabled a deep bond between FISU and CUS Torino over all these decades,” he said.

This will be the fourth time Torino has hosted the FISU World University Games, having previously held two summer editions in 1959 and 1970 and one winter in 2007. Councillor for Sport of the Piedmont Region and Honorary President of Torino 2025 FISU World University Games Fabrizio Ricca spoke at the unveiling of the importance of the event and of how the logo plays a role. “The presentation of the logo that will accompany our games is a starting point. We will be able to organise the sporting event that university students from all over the world deserve and we will be able to make them fall in love with Turin and Piedmont,” he said. 

Bardonecchia, Pragelato, Torre Pellice, and Pinerolo join Torino in hosting events as part of the Torino 2025 FISU Games in the Piedmont region. The 32nd edition of the FISU World University Games Winter will take place 13-23 January 2025.

WRITTEN BY DOUG MCLEAN