Morocco’s capital Rabat proved an ideal setting to look back on achievements and thrive towards future developments.
“FISU is a global organisation and in this light, it is really important that we organise events on all continents, said FISU President Leonz Eder. We received a very kind invitation from our friends in Morocco to organise our Executive Committee Meeting here. I am really impressed with what this country is doing for the university sports movement and I thank everyone here for their hard work and for their warm welcome.”
“King Mohammed VI places youth and education at the centre of his mission, of his national strategy, confirmed the Director General of the Office National des Oeuvres Universitaires, Sociales et Culturelles, Samir Fatajou, during his welcome speech. And this, together with sport promotes health and the will to strive for excellence.”
A first official meeting on the African continent is a really significant milestone in FISU’s global development and has been welcomed by Executive Committee Members from all Continental University Sports Federations. This is the first step of further collaborations with Morocco.
“This is a country that has invested a lot of resources and energy in the development of university sports, added FISU Secretary General and CEO Eric Saintrond. With the support of the Ministry of Higher Education and ONUSC Director General Samir Fatajou, we have great projects for the future here, involving all of FISU’s activities.”
With a special guest: the Flame of Knowledge
A new light shone on the meetings under the form of a special guest. The “Guarini” torch of the Torino 2025 FISU World University Games travelled from Torino Airport to Rabat to be welcomed by FISU Executive Committee members from all over the world and met the highest representatives of the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU Games Summer.
26 sports events in the 2024 season
Looking back on the last few months, FISU can be proud to have delivered many successful events, together with the great work of all the local organising committees. 23 FISU World University Championships and one World Cup, showcasing 27 sports with a total of over 5000 participants, have already taken place in this 2024 season.
Three National University Sports Federations (NUSF) have hosted an event for the first time, which is a great source of satisfaction. Another first was the brand new concept of Beach Sports, an event hosted by Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. There are still two events to look forward to, with the in India (9-13 November) and the Xiamen 2025 FISU University World Cup 3×3 Basketball in China (22-24 November).
Two days of meetings and workshops
Great educational development
The most important educational event, the FISU Forum, took place at the end of August in Zagreb. With high-level keynote speakers, 13 NUSFs presenting their projects and 79 students and 77 officials actively taking part in discussions, working groups and presentations, the event was very much appreciated by its participants.
Events are the tip of the iceberg. At the same time great progress has been made on many specific FISU programmes and partnerships. After attending UNESCO’s meeting as an observer, FISU is now recognised as a partner with consultative status, which is a huge step forward.
The same goes for the launch of the new Dual Career toolkit, aimed at assisting NUSFs, student-athletes and universities in the development of their own programmes. And, speaking of universities, 160 of them from 43 countries have now registered in the Healthy Campus Programme, one of FISU’s great sources of satisfaction.
FISU also keeps on shaping projects that gain funds from the European Union under the Erasmus + label, like the Youref and U-Media programmes.
Over the two days of meetings in Rabat, the different new committees (medical, legal, legacy and sustainability, student, gender equality, sports and education) reported on their work and respective projects.
From heritage to the future
Just like during the cultural activity, where the FISU representatives visited the Roman ruins of Chellah and the beautiful Merinid complex as well as the impressive cutting edge Mohammed VI football complex, after the reports on the achievements, the scope was set to the present and the future, with presentations and working group sessions to shape the next steps.
But also a gala dinner, a visit to Chellah and to the Mohammed VI Football Academy
The organising committees of the Torino 2025 FISU World University Games Winter, the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games Summer and the Chungcheong 2027 FISU World University Games Summer all gave updates on their progress.
A vibrant winter in Italy
Next up on the calendar, with the scheduled from 13-23 January 2025, the Piemontese organising committee dived into details as their event is approaching fast. With vibrant branding, they already got the audience excited about the extensive sports programme – with the first ever para-sports disciplines at FISU Games – but also about the FISU World Conference on 14 January and the SPRINT Generation Challenge.
An exciting summer in Germany
organising committee showcased their future sports event, which will be closely linked to a festival, to provide excitement and entertainment to the public, but also to the local population. They put forward their “neighbourhood” concept to make everyone feel at home, detailed the programme of the FISU World Conference and promised an enhanced experience for all delegation members through the use of new technologies. Over 7000 volunteers have already been recruited and the tickets are now on sale.
The Chungcheong 2027 FISU World University Games gave an extensive progress report and promised the imminent revelation of their mascot.
Continuity and development
The FISU Executive Committee members also discussed the continuing implementation of the Global Strategy 2027 and the plans for the drafting of the next one, with sustainability and gender equality amongst its key topics together with the further development of all of FISU’s sports and educational projects and collaborations.
The FISU Executive Committee meeting also hosted in parallel meetings the University Sports Development Commission (CDSU), chaired by Stefan Berg and Vice-Chair Delise O’Meally. The meeting was attended by the Presidents of the FISU continental structures: Liu Lixin (AUSF), Alim Neto (FISU America), David Schmude (FISU Oceania), Adam Roczek (EUSA), Penninah Kabenge (representing FASU President), and Fernando Parente, Director of Development and Healthy Campus at FISU. Discussions included the FISU-CUSF Strategic Dialogue and Seminar meetings and the CDSU Activity Plan for 2025-2027, a framework for prioritising university sports events.
A first meeting and a last meeting
This September Executive Committee Meeting also provided some emotional moments, since it was FISU’s Secretary General and CEO Eric Saintrond’s last one, after dedicating almost 40 years of his life to FISU and occupying this key position since 2007. “Goodbye and thank you for this exceptional experience in the heart of university sports!” he said officially, before a standing ovation from the room.
“I have known Eric since the beginning of my activity in FISU, remembers Luciano Cabral, FISU’s First Vice-President. His commitment and achievements are really impressive. I wish him all the best for his future retirement.”
“Eric is not only a great colleague, but a great friend that I have known since the Games in Buffalo in 1993, says FISU Vice-President Verena Burk. It will be strange not to see him anymore, but I am certain we will stay in touch!”
The last words go to FISU President Leonz Eder, who pronounced them before a strong hug: “Our bond knows no expiry date. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, dear Eric.”
The next Executive Committee Meeting – and the first one of FISU’s new Secretary General and CEO Matthias Remund – will take place at the Torino 2025 World University Games in January 2025.
Written by Thérèse Courvoisier, pictures by Mohamed Knioua
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