FISU and RSSU held a meeting in Lausanne

Three representatives of the Russian Students Sport Union travelled to Switzerland to meet International University Sports Federation leadership at their headquarters.

On 15 April 2025, representatives of the International University Sports Federation (FISU) and the Russian Students Sport Union (RSSU) met at FISU Headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The Russian delegation included Sergey Kriukov, President of the Russian Students Sports Union (RSSU), Maxim Urazov, Member of the RSSU Executive Committee and Director of the Department of Physical Culture and Mass Sport at the Russian Ministry of Sport and Marat Bariev, Honorary Member of the RSSU. They visited the Synathlon building and held a meeting with FISU President, Leonz Eder, FISU Secretary General and CEO, Matthias Remund as well as FISU Deputy Secretary General Fernando Parente.

A strong legacy

The Russian Students Sport Union is very active in promoting FISU’s Healthy Campus Programme, organises many student events in Russia, a country which hosted the Summer Universiade in Kazan in 2013, the Winter Universiade in Krasnoyarsk in 2019, the FISU Forum, also in Krasnoyarsk in 2018,as well as a great number of FISU World University Championships.

During their Lausanne visit,  and amongst other matters, the Russian delegation presented their strategic approach to the development of university sport and physical culture for 2025-2030, highlighting the best practices in cooperation with sports federations and educational institutions, the implementation of the university sports events calendar, the successful operation of university sports leagues, innovative approaches to the organisation of university sport competitions, scientific and educational projects.

Fruitful cooperation

Following the meeting, Sergey Kriukov (middle), expressed his gratitude to FISU leaders and hope for further fruitful cooperation. “We are thankful to the President of FISU for the opportunity to meet, it is our mutual belief that with constant development and efforts to do our best for benefit of university sports, we will be able to achieve a lot in the shortest possible time, the first step on this path will be the opportunity for our student-athletes to compete at the FISU World University Games in Germany.”

Unchanged position

“University sport has the power to foster a sense of community and I believe communication is essential in all situations”, answered FISU President Leonz Eder (centre). “With regards to the participation to the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games, our position hasn’t changed and we will continue to follow the IOC’s and International Federations’ recommendations. The individual neutral student-athletes from RSSU are welcome to compete in the sports where it’s possible and allowed.”

The Russian Student Sport Union as well as the Republican Center of Physical Education and Sports for Pupils and Students (Belarus) remain FISU Member Associations.