Kazan is getting ready for the Summer Universiade

FISU delegates John Warnock, Kemal Tamer & Marc Vandenplas

KAZAN – The FISU Summer Universiade Supervision Committee (CSU) praised Kazan’s readiness to stage the 27th Summer Universiade at the inspection visit’s conclusion on Friday, February 15th.

While talking to reporters, FISU CSU Chair Kemal Tamer announced that Kazan is in the final stage of its preparation for the Games. ‘The preparation is coming to an end. They are putting the finishing touch to the stadium and the Aquatics Palace. I would say that at the moment Kazan is 95% ready for the Summer Universiade’, said Kemal Tamer, highlighting Russia and Tatarstan’s contribution to university sports.

Needless to say, the Kazan 2013 organisers have had to carry out a record amount of work, aiming to stage the most epic sporting event in the history of FISU. ‘The 2013 Summer Universiade features the largest number of sports. Obviously, there are much more challenges in the preparation as all the medal events need to be planned and delivered. It is even bigger than the Olympics’, said Marc Vandenplas, FISU Director for the Summer Universiade.

The CSU inspection visit’s schedule also featured a presentation on the host city’s readiness to deliver the 2013 Summer Universiade. Updates were provided on the results achieved and points to overcome across all functional areas in the months left to go to the start of the World University Games, such as the training of Kazan 2013 volunteers, recruitment drive and transportation services, which, according to the FISU representatives, play a crucial role. ‘The transport system is one of the key aspects’, stressed John Warnock, FISU CSU Member/FISU CTI Chair for the Summer Universiade. ‘Everything that is connected with the transportation of athletes from Moscow to Kazan has been properly planned. Therefore, I believe it will all go smoothly.’

A venue tour, which was also held as part of the FISU CSU inspection visit, saw the FISU representatives get a better understanding of how the competition venues and other infrastructure facilities of the World University Games work. The delegation visited the Universiade Village, 45,000-seat stadium, which will be hosting the Opening and Closing Games Ceremonies, Ak Bars Wrestling Palace, Aquatics Palace, Medical Centre, the site for beach volleyball, Main International Centre, Kazan Equestrian Complex, Security Centre and Rubin Stadium.

It is noteworthy that the Taipei 2017 SU OC delegates have also concluded their visit to the host city of the 27th Summer Universiade under the Kazan 2013 Observer Programme. Taipei will play host to the 29th Summer Universiade in the year 2017.

(Source: Kazan 2013 Media Dept.)