Torino 2025 World University Games: the aftermath

Almost two months after the unforgettable FISU Games in Piemonte, what impact did the event have, and what does the future hold for one of Italy’s sporting capitals?

“The Torino 2025 FISU World University Games was a hugely successful event, an event that was not ‘just’ about sport, but also passion, sharing, fun, a meeting of different cultures, exchange, planning and vision,” Organising Committee President Alessandro Ciro Sciretti told fisu.net. “It’s an event whose communication has given our territory great visibility, both nationally and internationally, from an academic, touristic and sporting point of view.”

Organising Committee Deputy Director Silvia Carrera agreed, adding that the initiatives beyond the sporting arenas were fundamental in making the Games a truly memorable and impactful event for all involved.

“A varied universe of initiatives and cultural activities came to life around the FISU Games in Torino and the municipalities hosting the competitions, reigniting a passion for both sport and culture,” she said. “There were thousands of attendees at both our pop-up ICE Cube and Archivio di Stato exhibitions, as well as the concerts organised around the Games. The Torino 2025 FISU World Conference was also a major highlight, involving representatives from various local universities who were able present and promote their research on scientific innovations focusing on the sustainable development of winter sports.”

A visible and concrete impact of the Games will soon be seen in Pragelato, a small commune 60km west of the city of Torino, which hosted the Games’ cross-country and para-cross-country skiing, biathlon and ski orienteering events.

The town’s name is literally translated as “icy meadow”, with the picturesque and tranquil region enjoying a major boost across all sectors during the Games, according to the community’s mayor Massimo Marchisio.

Strengthening skills

“Hosting these competitions was an important experience for our community, strengthening organisational skills in the hospitality sector, slope management and safety coordination,” he said. “The Pragelato community is extremely proud to have once again hosted a world-class event, consolidating our role on the international winter sports scene.”

An exciting new project is underway in the region following the hosting of the Games, leaving a lasting legacy for both locals and visitors to enjoy.

A new facility in Pragelato

“Plans are underway to start work shortly on a new facility dedicated to Nordic skiing, biathlon and rollerskiing,” Marchisio revealed. “The facility will be a certified Federal Nordic Ski Centre and will be accompanied by the redevelopment of the former Ski Jumping hotel and part of the areas previously occupied by ski jumps. The entire complex will be completed in approximately 36-40 months and will become a reference point for winter sports and professional training, offering the community a modern facility that can be used all year round.”

Apart from this brick-and-mortar addition, other positive spin-offs from the Games include numerous initiatives aimed to make a long-lasting impact on locals in the Piemonte region.

“The legacy of the Games is extensive and is expressed above all in terms of environmental sustainability and improvement of the host venues through the involvement of young people with long-term school projects,” OC President Sciretti adds. “There are two projects to which we especially refer: BoscoTO25 – an initiative, through which 130 trees were planted, that promotes biodiversity, improves air quality and combats pollution – as well as the TO Art In Motion project which is based on the concept of urban regeneration, and aims to inspire and enable participants to express themselves artistically.”

A positive environmental impact

“Furthermore, for the first time in the history of the Games, the Torino 2025 Committee was involved in the preparation of an Environmental Impact Assessment, as the Games were analysed using a model presented by Event Green, the first environmental offsetting service designed for events. This is an innovative tool for quantifying the event’s CO2 emissions and investing in concrete projects that return value to the territory to achieve a positive environmental impact.”

A sustainable event, that made a positive impact on participants, visitors and locals alike: Torino 2025 will live long in the minds of all involved, for generations to come.

Written by Fabio de Dominicis

Removing barriers: the legacy of the inclusion of para-sports at FISU Games

Coming from 13 delegations, including Italy, para-student-athletes gave their all to win medals on in Bardonecchia for para-alpine skiing, and in Pragelato Plan for para-cross-country Skiing. These moments represented a new chapter in sports integration but also a call to action to remove barriers – both physical and social – once and for all.

“We’ve worked on breaking down architectural barriers with the PEBA Plan, even beyond the Torino 2025 FISU Games,” said Chiara Rossetti, the mayor of Bardonecchia. “We’ve hosted two national editions of the Special Olympics, and this March, we’ll be welcoming the World Championships.”

Buildings and urban areas accessible to all

PEBA Plans, which stand for Architectural Barrier Elimination Plans, are vital tools for assessing, designing, and planning interventions to ensure that public buildings and urban spaces are accessible to all.
Bardonecchia and Sestriere were chosen as the two host locations for para-student-athletes with permanent limb impairments and visual disabilities. Their proximity to the competition venues for alpines and cross-country skiing made them ideal.

In Bardonecchia, the Olympic Village was designated as the accommodation for athletes and delegations. Originally designed and renovated for the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics, it’s located just a few steps from the Campo Smith ski lift. Now operating as a three-star hotel, it’s fully equipped with all the necessary services to ensure accessibility for everyone. This is part of a broader effort Bardonecchia has undertaken to remove all barriers.

Some memories of para-student-athletes in piemonte

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“The Piemonte region helped us draft the plan and identify the interventions we could implement,”explained Mayor Rossetti. “Both public and private sectors will be encouraged to make the city more sustainable, especially in terms of eliminating architectural barriers.”

Before the beginning of the event, Vincenzo Genovese, the Games Service Director, made sure that “accessibility was guaranteed, as all hospitality structures—from hotels to restaurants—prepared for the Torino 2025 FISU World University Games were ready to welcome people with disabilities.” He also emphasised the availability of “a support system to assist with all mobility needs.”

Proposed wheelchair transportation

The transportation of athletes was possible thanks to the invaluable contribution of Lions Club International, the world’s largest service organisation with 1.4 million members and community projects in over 200 countries. True to their motto, “We Serve,” the Lions stepped up to support those requiring wheelchair transportation, particularly for sit-skiing.“All sports facilities were barrier-free, ensuring partial accessibility for everyone,” concluded Genovese.

What did the student-athletes think? There’s a clear sense of satisfaction with how the facilities have been renovated, as well as an awareness that, being the first truly inclusive edition, this was just the starting point.
“They’ve definitely done a good job with the slopes because we could connect directly and very easily, and even the bar was accessible. As for the hotel in Bardonecchia, I know it’s been adapted. I go around with a prosthesis, so I feel the challenges a bit less. For a structure of its age, even though it’s been updated, there’s always room for improvement, but it’s not bad,” commented Giorgio Napoli (Standing category).

Make themselves seen and heard

In Pragelato, Filippo Uber (Standing category) appreciated the convenience of being able to park close to the track.

Martina Vozza (Visually Impaired category), accompanied by her guide Ylenia Sabidusi, shared a slightly different perspective: “Martina has vision problems, but she’s always with me, so we adapt to everything. For those in wheelchairs, there are elevators, ramps, and the facilities are suitable. Of course, there’s always more to be done, but first, we need to make ourselves known. Once we’re more visible, I’m sure we’ll have a stronger voice to push for change. For now, it’s good enough,” she said.

Written by Vittoria Brighenti and Matteo Revellin, FISU National Young Reporters