I. Metshin: "Kazan is 100% ready to host the 27th Summer Universiade 2013"

(KZN.RU, June 30) Kazan is 100% ready to host the 27th Summer Universiade 2013, Mayor Ilsur Metshin said on June 30 at the meeting of the FISU Executive Committee, 6 days before the start of the Games. The final report on the preparation of the Games was presented at the FISU hotel – Korston Hotel and Mall – during the meeting in the presence of FISU President Claude-Louis Gallien and his 1st Vice-President, President of the Russian Student Sports Union (RSSU), Oleg Matytsin.

In his speech during at the FISU Executive Committee meeting, Mayor of Kazan, Ilsur Metshin, thanked the directors of organisation for entrusting the city of Kazan with hosting the World University Summer Games in 2013. “I hope you understand how much this has changed our city, and, most importantly, how our people have changed. All this is possible thanks to the Universiade. Now I feel not only proud of the fact that we had the opportunity to host such an event, but also sad because two weeks from now the Universiade, for which we have been preparing for the past five years, will become history. We will try to make sure that in time we will be proud of what we made possible,” Ilsur Metshin said in his address to FISU. The Mayor also noted that the FISU Family will always be family to all those who prepared for the Universiade in Kazan.

General Director of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate, Vladimir Leonov, presented the Kazan Universiade progress report. He noted the key achievements of the past five years that passed in intense preparation for the World University Games. Vladimir Leonov reported that 5,000 employees will be employed by the Executive Directorate for the Games in addition to 20,000 volunteers. The event will be attended by representatives of 162 countries, who, according to the Presidential Executive Order, will be able to enter the country without a visa on the basis of a special accreditation certificate.

According to the Director General, the accreditation of participants was conducted at three centres: the accreditation centre at the Main International Centre (MIC), the FISU accreditation centre (Korston Hotel and Mall) as well as the Accreditation and Uniform Distribution Centre at the Kazanskaya Yarmarka Exhibition Centre. Vladimir Leonov paid special attention to the Universiade Village and MIC, which, according to him, are very functional and comfortable for participants and organisers alike. “Yesterday we all had the opportunity to try dishes that are prepared daily for athletes and other residents of the Universiade Village. Thank you for your positive comments about the restaurant. I hope it will leave you and the athletes with fond memories. I remind you that this is the biggest temporary facility ever built in Russia, with an area more than 12,000 square metres”.

According to the Director General of the Games, all the services and facilities included in the programme were tested during the Four Days of the Universiade exercises. “The exercises have shown that we are ready for the Games,” Vladimir Leonov said.

More than 1,200 representatives of international, Russian and regional media were accredited to cover the Games; the same number of employees will provide TV coverage of the Summer Universiade. A full range of media services, including 'meet and greet' services, transport services and the organisation of workplaces, are provided for all accredited media. Universiade participants will see the rich traditions of the peoples of Russia and the national culture of Tatarstan, not only at the Universiade Park, but also during the Tatar national holiday Sabantuy, which will be specially moved to the Games, according to Vladimir Leonov.

In his closing remarks, the Director General of the 2013 Summer Universiade said that the entire Team 2013 has already begun their work with excitement and inspiration. “Indeed we are starting a series of major sports events in Russia. For us, it is a great challenge, we really want to show how well we are able to host events and how strongly we has changed our city. Thank you for your support, we will do our best to make the Games the best they can be,” Vladimir Leonov said.

The members of the FISU Executive Committee praised the preparation of the Games in Kazan and wished the organisers luck and strength, Media Department of Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate said.