FISU acting president looks forward to unique experience in Chengdu

Aerial view of the main stadium of the 2021 Summer Universiade in Fenghuangshan Sports Park in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan Province, Feb.18, 2021. (Photo/China News Service)

Leonz Eder, acting president of the International University Sports Federation (FISU), said he is expecting a unique experience in the upcoming Chengdu University Games.

After finishing his visit to Chengdu for the Heads of Delegation Meeting, Eder said, "Participants will enjoy their unique experience in the Chengdu 2021 FISU World University Games. The visitors will enjoy not only the sports competitions, but also the educational activities including FISU World Conference and Chengdu's city culture."

The meeting was held on March 28-31 in Chengdu. 

For the organizing committee, the meeting is an all-round test event with the delegations' participation, while for the representatives of the delegations globally, this meeting is the best opportunity to learn about the event before its official opening and to communicate with the organizing committee face to face.

Not all the university sports federations could afford to send staff to the meetings, but this time the Chengdu Games organizers provided a livestream to 46 delegations that could not attend the meeting in person so they could remotely participate in the inspection of 27 competition venues and the athletes village.

"This attempt of the organizing committee offers ­delegations an opportunity to save on budget, which is in line with the international trend of frugal organization. Inspired by this, FISU will attempt to host more activities in this hybrid way in the future," he said.

"At this spring team meeting, I felt that the organizing committee was eager to show their ability to host the event to delegates from all over the world. This is based on the organizing committee's confidence in their work," he added.

FISU was frustrated by the travel difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic for the past three years, and only Zhao Jing, an FISU Games director, led inspecting teams to visit the capital of Southwest China's Sichuan Province when the Chengdu Universiade was postponed twice.

The Chengdu Games, originally scheduled to take place in 2021, are set to be held from July 28 to August 8.