FISU at the OMEGA European Masters

CRANS-MONTANA – FISU President Claude-Louis Gallien, Secretary General/CEO Eric Saintrond and Milan Augustin, Director of the Winter Universiade, were invited to the OMEGA European Masters in Crans-Montana, Switzerland by the OC President Gaston Barras. Together with FISU Vice-President Leonz Eder, FISU CTI Chair WU Roger Roth and SUSF President Andreas Csonka they met not only members of the Organising Committee of the 2014 WUC Golf, Pierre Bruchez and Guy Praplan, but also a delegation of the government of the Canton of Valais, led by Claude Roch – Minister of Education, Sport and Culture of Canton of Valais.

First of all the FISU delegation could get an overview about the fantastic alpine golf course of Crans-sur-Sierre and the preparations of the organisation of the WUC Golf in 2014. “We don’t face any problems so far. We are on track,” Pierre Bruchez, President of the OC, stated. Secondly Mr Claude Roch used the opportunity to inform the FISU delegation about the intention of the Canton of Valais to bid for the Winter Universiade in 2019 or 2021. “At the moment the Swiss Sport is concentrated on a bid for the Winter Olympics in 2022 in the region of Graubuenden with St. Moritz and Davos,” Mr Roch said, “but we should not forget that other regions of Switzerland also have a great potential to host multi-sport events in the alps.” He is convinced that the Winter Universiade would be a good opportunity to develop the touristic and sports infrastructure in his canton and to establish close relations between sports, culture and the university environment in the whole region. FISU President Gallien underlined the important role which the Swiss University Sports Federation played in the history of FISU, and he encouraged the representatives of the Canton of Valais to continue to evaluate the possibility to host a Winter Universiade in the future.

(Source: Leonz Eder, Vice-President)