Keys to making Kazan 2013 a Success discussed at Tatarstan’s Sports Ministry Board

Tatarstan’s Sports Ministry Board session

KAZAN – Successful delivery of the 2013 Summer Universiade became one of the major topics on the agenda of the concluding session of the Board of Tatarstan’s Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports and Tourism. The important role of the World University Games was also stressed by President Rustam Minnikhanov who took part in the meeting.

Minister of Youth Affairs, Sports and Tourism Rafis Burganov

Minister of Youth Affairs, Sports and Tourism Rafis Burganov who delivered a keynote speech began his report with the fact that in 2012 the Ministry’s activities in the sphere of development of youth policy, physical culture, sports and tourism were held under the flag of this year’s ‘top priority’ – 27th Summer Universiade. “The Universiade has become a launching pad for the development of university sports,” said Rafis Burganov. “17 sport and fitness centres have been handed over to top higher education institutions of the republic. Throughout the entire period of the build-up to the Summer Universiade, we have been witnessing a considerable increase in the number of university and vocational students involved in sports activities.”

Details of Kazan’s preparations for the summer of 2013 were revealed by Vladimir Leonov, Director General of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate. Having voiced key figures, the Kazan 2013 Director General stated that the entire preparation for the Games is carried out in close cooperation with the Government of Tatarstan, Ministry of Sport of the Russian Federation and Tatarstan’s Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports and Tourism. 

Vladimir Leonov Vladimir Leonov noted in particular that, jointly with Tatarstan’s Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports and Tourism, the Organising Committee launched a series of national judges seminars which will allow to assess the trainees’ skills and award them with corresponding qualifications. As reported earlier, 351 medal events in 27 sports will be supervised by 2,400 judges and referees, 818 of which are international and 1,582 are national (384 of them will be from Tatarstan).

He also addressed such issues as recruitment of transport personnel (a total of 2,413 drivers and over 500 members of the transportation team need to be trained) and medical staff (148 sports doctors will provide medical support during the Games). 67 doping control officers have been trained for the Games and currently practice their skills at test events held in the lead-up to the Summer Universiade. 

“Great efforts have been made to prepare the infrastructure of the Summer Universiade. Our top priorities are to commission the Aquatics Palace in March, to put the 45,000 stadium in operation to enable performers to start rehearsals for the Opening/Closing Ceremonies, as well as to prepare the Main Media Centre,” said Vladimir Leonov. Repair and restoration works are conducted at the already existing venues, among them the Biektau Sports Complex, Olymp Sports Complex, Sport Palace, Batyr Sports Complex and Republican Specialised Children and Youth Fencing School of the Olympic Reserve.  

According to Vladimir Leonov, the host city needs to replace the artificial turf at the Rubin Stadium and finish putting down the new artificial turf at the Raketa Stadium, Tasma Stadium and Tulpar Stadium until mid-May in order to receive FIFA and IRB certifications for all the before-mentioned stadiums by June 15. This will allow Kazan to own 8 certified football pitches and 2 certified rugby fields which will be listed on the websites of corresponding international federations. 

“In order to meet the FISU Minimum Requirements and guarantee a successful delivery of the competitions, we are equipping the venues with additional sports facilities and gear which will be donated to the republic after the Games to ensure further development of sports. All this is an invaluable material legacy that the Summer Universiade leaves behind,” said Vladimir Leonov. 

He also informed that April 1 will see the commissioning of the Main International Centre where the Heads of Delegation Meeting will take place and also reminded that according to the FISU Minimum Requirements, on 6 July 2012, exactly a year before the start of the Games, the Organising Committee had started accepting entry forms from countries willing to participate in the Summer Universiade. “As of today, we have received entry forms from 122 nations. It is more than 8,800 athletes and 3,555 members of official delegations,” Vladimir Leonov said. “On January 18 we launched the media accreditation process which will end on April 18. 42 media outlets and journalists from 77 regions of Russia have already submitted accreditation requests.”

It was specified during the meeting that the accreditation for republican and municipal authorities started on January 21, 2013. The accreditation centre for volunteers and workforce, which also includes authorities of the Republic of Tatarstan, will be located at the Kazanskaya Yarmarka Exhibition Centre and begin operating on March 13. Vladimir Leonov also elaborated on such issues as accommodation of Games client groups, release of tickets for sporting events and Opening/Closing Ceremonies, programme of events for the Cultural Universiade and so on.

“The Summer Universiade is a unique opportunity for every citizen of Tatarstan to get a taste of the global sports movement, to become part of the history, that’s why it’s very important to encourage wider public to attend sporting events and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 27th Summer Universiade,” Vladimir Leonov said. As far as the Games preparations are concerned, they have already entered the home stretch. “The major part of the preparatory works is complete and there is very little time left before we can show the outcome of our teamwork to the world. We will need maximum effort from every citizen of our republic without exception. It’s a fate-deciding test for Tatarstan as our teamwork will decide the success of other upcoming high-profile events.”

President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov

Summing up the session, President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov stated that the forthcoming World University Games are a milestone event for the entire republic and the nation. “Thanks to the Universiade, we are now solving those problems that we probably wouldn’t have solved in 15-20 years. The infrastructure is being developed, the airport has been upgraded, intermodular transportation services have been introduced, new underground stations are being constructed,” the President said. “People also change in the build-up to the Summer Universiade. And after the Games end, we will have a new city, a more comfortable one that meets all requirements for a good life.”

(Source: Kazan 2013 Media Dept.)