On the occasion of its 75th anniversary in 2024, FISU published the book ‘FISU – A Family Album’ to tell an exciting story of university sport. It was not written to be an institutional chronicle but a reflection of the stories of those who made FISU.
When presenting the 75 Anniversary book in November 2024 on the occasion of a small celebration, FISU’s archivist Lidia Lesnykh told the audience the story behind its conception.
“In April 2020 we received an request from a Finnish skier who was looking for his results from the Lake Placid 1972 Winter Universiade. The man said he finished among the last competitors and even missed another race because he got lost in the forest… However, it was one of the best memories of his time as a student. At that moment I realised something: medals, champions and records are important and well documented but …how about the human emotions? What stands behind these stories of success or failure? How do we preserve the memories that cannot be timed or watched on TV?”
During lockdown, many were stuck inside and had spare time to search through old photographs, share stories with their families. FISU we received a number of similar emails to the inquiry of the Finnish skier.
“I promised that I’d send the requested information once back in the office, and suggested that in the meantime they send to us written stories or speak to us on the phone about the Universiade they attended”, explains Lidia Lesnykh. “This is how we learned about handmade pants in the colours of the American flag, or of adventures proving that student friendship could open doors even through the Iron Curtain. We heard about a French tennis player desperately looking for his beloved Bulgarian interpreter, or the Swiss team transporting an East-German immigrant under a pile of skis. The interviews brought me to people’s homes to see the medals, press clippings and FISU flags stolen from the venue in 1960!”
“Australian, Italian, or Canadian… they all have something in common: the Universiade and University sport played a crucial role in their careers and lives. This book is a shared memory of those who made FISU and especially of student-athletes with whom FISU has been engaging for the past 75 years.”
Almost 200 pages of history
Divided into six separate chapters, “FISU – A Family Album” covers the first 75 years of the International University Sports Federation’s history.
- A Century of World University Games (sport in universities before FISU)
- FISU Celebrates 75 Years of University Sports (its birth and its first events)
- Seven Decades of Stories behind the FISU World University Games (testimonies of those who made the Games)
- Sports – Development outside the Universiade
- Education – A Key Pillar of FISU’s Foundation
- Development – Building a Broader FISU Community
Some double pages from the book
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