2012 FISU Forum: Day 1 overview

Dr. Peter Chen speaking on Sportsmanship as a Platform for Lifelong Development

TAIPEI CITY – After the FISU Forum was officially opened on the morning of March 26, the delegates prepared to discuss “Sportsmanship as a Platform for Lifelong Development”. With the words “Sportsmanship can be applied in our lives, not only in sports” the presentation of Dr. Peter Chen started at 2 pm.

Using the examples of athletes Sir Roger Bannister and Billi Miss, Dr. Chen talked about the will power and the importance to integrate values of sportsmanship in the profession, politics, administration and daily life. “I see in this Forum a very unite and very good managed FISU, this Forum will surely impact the participants making them believe that sports should be an integral part of total education” said this expositor that first met FISU in Japan during the Universiade of 1967.

At 2:30 the audience of the Forum formed 5 groups for the workshops regarding to the topic of Dr. Chen’s presentation. To conclude the opening day’s seminars, each of the five continental federations made presentations, updating the delegations of the forum on their activities.

Workshop sessions mixing all participants

Africa Sport University Federation (FASU) was presented by its president Dr Malumbete Ralethe and the Secretary General Mrs Penninah Kabenge. FASU was created in 1951 but matured in 1971 with 31 delegations. The first games organized by the African sport university federation were in 1974 in Ghana. But for a moment, during the 70’s to 90’s, FASU’s activities were in limbo, restarting after that period. To facilitate the FASU mission, 5 regions were created because of the size and diversity of the continent.

Following this, Ms Delise O’Meally discussed the history and goals of the Organización Deportiva Universitaria Panamericana (ODUPA). Founded in 2007, ODUPA has grown to 28 member federations, spanning North, South and Central America. O’Meally informed the audience of ODUPA’s commitment to ethics, as well as the federation’s other key values of fair play, mutual trust, promotion of educational activities through sport, equity, and unity and teamwork.

Seetow Cheng Faye then made a presentation about the Asian University Sport Federation (AUSF). Mr Seetow mentioned the challenges presented by the massive size of Asia as a continent; however he discussed the importance of getting everyone of the federation’s 35 member countries involved. Mr Seetow also presented the federations strategic plan, which includes long term goals like educating the virtues of sport and propagating the Olympic spirit, and short term objectives such as creating higher awareness of the AUSF and initiating the first Asian University Games in the next two or three years.

Established in 1999, the European University Sports Association (EUSA) has seen immense growth, according to Leonz Eder and Matjaž Pečovnik who made the European federation’s presentation. It has grown from 25 member federations at its birth to 45 currently and since 2001, the EUSA has seen its number of national championship go from just two to 16 last year. The EUSA has also undertaken impressive projects in anti-doping and the prevention of sexualized violence in sport.

OUSA, the Oceania University Sports Association, is the younger continental federation. It was created in 2009 with 11 members. Even though they are younger, they are not less ambitious. OUSA aims to have more participants to the Universiades. Martin Doulton, the Secretary General of the Association, also said that his organization would like to hold FISU international event.

(Source: Paulo Ferreira – WUC Executive Assistant, Natasha Campos Mendez, Justin Fauteux, Diacunda Sene – Students Committee)