The competition will open on August 19 in Taipei, Taiwan.
Photo from the site Summer Universiade-2017
The 29th Summer Universiade starts on Saturday in the Taiwanese city of Taipei. Despite the student-youth status of the Games, accomplished athletes will represent their countries at the tournament. Thus, the Russian national team included Olympic medalists, world champions and many strong athletes who did not have time to prove themselves at international tournaments, but claim the highest places.
Russia is the favorite
The grand opening of the Games is scheduled for the evening of August 19. However, competitions in individual sports - football and water polo - began a day earlier and will last until the very end of the competition. In water polo, the winner will become known only on August 30, right before the start of the closing ceremony.
In 2017, Universiade participants will identify the strongest in 21 sports. 14 of them are required to be included in the University Games program. These are basketball, water polo, volleyball, judo, athletics, swimming, diving, big and table tennis, sports and rhythmic gymnastics, taekwondo, football and fencing. The remaining disciplines are selected by the organizing committee of specific competitions independently. At the tournament in Taiwan, unlike the 2015 Summer Universiade in the Republic of Korea, roller sports, weightlifting and wushu will appear. Badminton, baseball, golf and archery are also included in the schedule. There will also be a demonstration billiards tournament in Taipei, which is not included in the competition.
Although some of the listed sports are frankly new to Russians, this does not affect the ambitions of the team - the team’s status obliges them. Russia is the favorite in the competition. In the medal standings at the last Universiade, the Russian team took second place, losing to the hosts of the tournament in the number of gold medals: 34 versus 47. In total, domestic athletes won the most awards - 122.
There was no mass doping, this is fiction. The best confirmation of this is the participation and victory of our athletes at the Universiade in Alma-Ata.
This figure, apparently, can be improved at the 2017 Games, because the Russian delegation going to Taiwan is impressive.
“The total composition of the Russian national team’s delegation to the Universiade will be 517 people: 348 athletes plus coaches, doctors, and officials,” said Sergei Seiranov, president of the Russian Student Sports Union. His words are quoted by R-Sport.
And although the number of athletes who came to the University Games turned out to be more than a hundred people less than two years earlier, the team will include seasoned fighters Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Among them silver medalist in the team archery championship Tuyana Dashidorzhieva and water divers Evgeny Kuznetsov And Ilya Zakharov, who, by the way, are also winners of the Games in London.
The Russian student team will also include the bronze medalist of the 2017 European Judo Championship Aslan Lappinagov, winner of the 2015 World Championships weightlifting Artyom Okulov and world weightlifting champion 2013 Tim Turieva. The 2012 Olympic bronze medalist swimmer will also come to Taiwan Sergey Fesikov. And, of course, this is far from full list Russia's hopes at the Universiade.
Politics again in sports
The Russian team could have been even stronger if not for the protracted and highly controversial situation with the exclusion of the All-Russian Federation athletics(ARAF) from the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). The reason for the suspension in 2015 was that a number of Russian athletes positive doping tests. And although it would seem that the use of prohibited substances is a problem for an individual person, Russian athletes bear collective responsibility.
The suspension of ARAF membership in the IAAF became the reason for the exclusion of athletes from Russia from the Games in Rio; they were not allowed to take part in international competitions under the auspices of the organization. Only two years later, it was decided to allow Russian athletes to compete in a neutral status during the suspension of ARAF.
The track and field athletes immediately proved their fighting ability at the last World Championships in London, winning six awards, including one gold and five silver medals. Some of the winners of that tournament are the world champion in high jump Maria Lasitskene, vice-champions in the 100-meter hurdles Sergey Shubenkov and long jump Daria Klishina- were supposed to represent Russia at the Universiade. But it didn’t work out.
10 days before the start of the University Games, the President of the Russian Student Sports Union Sergey Seyranov announced that domestic athletes will not take part in the Summer Universiade.
“Our athletes will not compete at the Universiade in any capacity, nothing happened,” the TASS agency quotes the head of the RSSS. - It was planned that 11 people would go there, but we never received any clarification from the International University Sports Federation (FISU) on how neutral athletes will participate in competitions. It was not clear how to enter them into the database.”
According to Seyranov, FISU did not answer the existing questions, waiting until the deadline for submitting applications expired. Or maybe just no one wanted to answer. But the unpleasant aftertaste from this fact does not make the Russian team incapable of fighting - the team’s chances to show excellent result are still great.
Children's and youth sports should be outside the quarrels of the adult athletics federation.
“Traditionally, our athletes participate successfully in the Summer Universiade, as well as in the Winter Universiade. Our team is strong and properly trained. It’s disappointing that our athletes are not participating,” a member of the State Duma Committee on physical culture, sports, tourism and youth affairs (LDPR).
At the same time, according to the deputy, medal standings- not the main thing. It is important that young people, students who were preparing for an important start for them, will be deprived of the opportunity to prove themselves.
“I believe that children and youth should remain outside of international scandals and outside of politics. Children's and youth sports should be outside the quarrels of the adult athletics federation, said Svishchev. “By the way, in July, our track and field athletes at the European Youth Olympic Festival in Hungary again had to compete in difficult conditions due to the IAAF’s attempt to ban them from competing under the national flag.”
At the Summer Universiade, Russian athletes will also have to perform under special supervision. About 750 doping tests will be taken at the tournament in Taipei. Testing began a week ago. However, there is hardly any doubt about the purity of Russian athletes.
As in an interview with the Parliamentary Newspaper, the Chairman of the Committee State Duma for Physical Culture, Sports, Tourism and Youth Affairs (LDPR), claims against Russian athletes- fiction. And this has already been confirmed by the Winter Universiade held in Almaty in January-February of this year.
“There was no mass doping, this is fiction. The best confirmation of this is the participation and victory of our athletes at the Universiade in Almaty and in all the latest major tournaments, where samples were taken by foreign doping officers at any time of the day or night. The result: all athletes are clean, and victories in all sports have not gone away,” the deputy said.
So the Summer Universiade in Taipei is another chance to show the real strength of Russian sports.
From January 29 to February 8, 2017 in Almaty (Republic of Kazakhstan) the XXVIII World Winter Universiade will be held - an international complex sporting event among students, conducted by the International University Sports Federation (FISU).
More than 2,000 athletes from more than 55 countries will take part in the Universiade, who will compete for 85 sets of awards. About 3,000 volunteers will be involved in organizing the events. About 30 thousand foreign guests and tourists are expected to arrive. The competition will be broadcast in 80 countries by seven international channels, reaching more than 1 billion television viewers.
To the World student games included eight compulsory sports (cross-country skiing, biathlon, alpine skiing, curling, snowboarding, figure skating, hockey, short track) and four additional ones (speed skating, Nordic combined, ski jumping, freestyle).
Eight sports facilities will be used for the competition:
Ski resort"Shymbulak" (alpine skiing, freestyle, snowboarding),
- High-mountain sports complex "Medeu" (skating),
- International Ski Jumping Complex "Sunkar" (ski jumping, Nordic combined),
- Sports Palace named after. Baluan Sholaka (short track, hockey (women)),
- Complex of ski and biathlon stadiums "Alatau" (biathlon, cross-country skiing, Nordic combined),
- Sports and entertainment complex "Tabagan" (freestyle, snowboarding),
- Ice Palace "Almaty Arena" (figure skating, curling),
- “Halyk Arena” (hockey (men)).
Moreover, the last two of the listed objects were built specifically for the Universiade. Also, especially for the Games, an Athletic Village was built in the Alatau district of Almaty for the first time in the history of the Winter Universiade. The official opening of the Village will take place on January 24, closing on February 10.
Universiade participants must meet the following requirements: be a citizen of the country they represent; be no younger than 17 and no older than 28 years of age on January 1 of the competition year and be a current student at the educational institution.
The student team of the Russian Federation included 316 people: 216 athletes and 100 specialists (officials, coaches, medical personnel). Among the athletes are 25 winners and prize-winners of the XXVII World Winter Universiade 2015 in Slovakia and Spain, including: Evgeniy Klimov(champion, bronze medalist in ski jumping), Mikhail Maksimochkin(champion, silver medalist in ski jumping), Daria Ovchinnikova(alpine skiing champion), Artyom Nikolaev(silver and bronze medalist in ski racing), Evgeny Arkhipov(silver medalist as part of the curling team) and others. Russian team is the largest at the Universiade and will be represented in all types of competitions.
Official website of the XXVIII World Winter Universiade 2017 in Almaty (Republic of Kazakhstan): https://almaty2017.com/ru/.
The television broadcast of the competition in Russia will be carried out by the Match! Arena" and "Match! Game".
The opening ceremony of the XXVIII World Winter Universiade 2017 will be shown in live on the TV channel “Match! Arena" January 29. The broadcast starts at 19:00.
For reference:
The XXVII World Winter Universiade was held in Slovakia and Spain from January 24 to February 14, 2015.
Competitions were held in eight compulsory sports (cross-country skiing, biathlon, alpine skiing, curling, snowboarding, figure skating, hockey, short track) and three additional ones (cross-country combined, ski jumping and freestyle). 68 sets of awards were up for grabs.
The Russian student team took first place in the unofficial team competition, winning 56 awards (20 gold, 18 silver and 18 bronze). The greatest contributions to the Russian team were made by skiers (7-5-5), biathletes (4-5-5) and ski jumpers (3-2-2).
Press service of the Russian Ministry of Sports
Schedule of the XXVIII World Winter Universiade 2017(xlsx, 165 Kb)
Bulletins
Bulletin No. 9 (doc, 4 440 Kb)
February 7, 2017
Bulletin No. 8 (doc, 4 390 Kb)
February 6, 2017
"Conducting competitions international level- not a way to replenish the state treasury. This is the way to raise the authority and prestige of the country. However, there are countries that have managed to extract economic benefits from them. For example, French experts recently calculated that hosting Euro 2016 brought 1.2 billion euros in profit.
Now our domestic experts are calculating how much it cost to host the University Games. We also decided to find an answer to the question: what did the Universiade give to our country?
We must pay tribute to the leadership of our country, which, despite the global financial crisis, took on such responsibility as organizing and holding the World University Games, within the framework of which Kazakhstan hosted more than 2 thousand athletes from 57 countries.
Kazakhstanis had to work hard to host and hold the Games with dignity. Not counting the members of the Organizing Committee, more than 3 thousand volunteers were involved to serve the guests of Almaty, and 7.5 thousand security specialists (4,700 police officers, 1,000 military personnel, 1,400 security company employees, 50 dog handlers) were involved in ensuring their safety.
What kind of load did the Universiade bring to the economy of Kazakhstan and what is the impact of the global sports forum city of apples?
Not expenses, but investments!
According to the budget program of the Almaty city planning department “Planning and construction of facilities Winter Universiade 2017", for holding sports competitions and improving the appearance of the city, it was planned to build three sports facilities - an ice palace with 12 thousand seats, an Athletic Village with 5 thousand seats (in the Alatau region) and an ice arena with 3 thousand seats in the Medeu region.
For the construction of these facilities, 13 billion tenge was allocated from the Almaty budget in 2014, 44 billion in 2015, and 14.9 billion in 2016. At the end of three years, about 73 billion tenge were spent.
In addition, for the development of design and estimate documentation for these facilities and the conduct of construction and installation work, the following was allocated from the republican budget:
- in 2014 - 12.2 billion tenge,
- 2015 – 41.47 billion,
- 2016 – 9.27 billion tenge.
In just three years, 63 billion tenge ($190 million) were spent.
Also allocated from the local budget to finance transfers of design and construction:
- in 2014 – 0.872 billion tenge,
- 2015 – 3.45 billion,
- 2016 – 5.713 billion.
Total – 10 billion tenge ($30 million).
As a result, expenses for the construction of Universiade facilities in Almaty amounted to 146 billion tenge ($442 million)
These are capital costs, which, like the costs of hosting the Games, are not reimbursed.
The fate of sports facilities
For comparison, 300 billion rubles were spent on holding the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan, but the profit was only 10.8 billion rubles. However, the Russians realized that most of the costs were invested in the future of the city. This means that we must understand that the facilities built in Almaty will continue to serve for the benefit of Kazakhstanis and the development of sports.
These expenses are investments in the development of mass sports. We are confident that even after the end of the Universiade, the demand for ice palace and the ice arena will be high. And the mentioned sports facilities can be adapted for holding competitions in summer species sports. Almaty Arena, which seats 12 thousand spectators, is a godsend for holding grandiose cultural events. Therefore, it cannot be said that the funds spent on the construction of these facilities were wasted.
It is clear that the Athletic Village, consisting of 8 multi-storey residential buildings, will not be empty. The facility, equipped with a full-fledged infrastructure, will become comfortable housing for 1.7 thousand families. 1,748 apartments in the Athletes' Village will be leased with the option of subsequent purchase. Thus, in the next 8 years, 40% of investments in the amount of 15.5 billion tenge will be returned.
This will reduce the queue for housing in Almaty by 10 percent
In addition, the administrative part of the Athletic Village is expected to be used for organizing various exhibitions and press conferences.
Operating expenses
Initially, the amount of funds provided for the Universiade was planned in the amount of 32 billion tenge. However, after Elbasy’s instructions to conduct the Games economically, it was decided to reduce these costs to 17 billion tenge ($51.5 million).
Vehicles to serve Universiade participants (approximately 520 units) were rented, and costs for promotions, cultural and entertainment events were reduced.
Expenses for organizing ceremonial events dedicated to the opening and closing of the Universiade were reduced to 1.2 billion tenge ($3.6 million).
If you add up the operating budget and the costs of building facilities, then the costs of holding the Universiade amounted to $500 million
For comparison: the total budget for the 2019 Winter Universiade in Krasnoyarsk is planned at 51.8 billion rubles ($863 million at the rate of 1 dollar = 60 rubles). 44.5 billion rubles ($741 million) have been allocated for the construction and renovation of sports facilities; the operating budget is 7.3 billion rubles ($121 million).
What amount replenished the treasury?
The next question is: how much profit did the Universiade bring to the country? Akim of Almaty Bauyrzhan Baibek, speaking at a government meeting on January 17, said that the arrival of tourists in the country during the Universiade will bring profit to the country’s small and medium-sized businesses in the amount of approximately 2 billion tenge.
According to the mayor, the construction of Universiade facilities was carried out by 1,550 small private enterprises, which created 30 thousand new jobs. From their activities, the city budget received 9.2 billion tenge in taxes.
220 companies were involved in the preparation of the Universiade, employing 5 thousand workers and employees. Considering that 80 percent of these companies are from Almaty, we can say with confidence that the Universiade gave a new impetus to the development of small and medium-sized businesses in the southern capital.
Based on the Global destination cities index data,
in Almaty, a foreign tourist spends $245 daily
States participating in the Universiade paid 1 million euros for accommodation in the Athletic Village
In addition, 8 hotels in Almaty were completely filled with sports delegations. Daily accommodation for guests of “Kazakhstan” cost $70, for guests of Shera Park Inn – $85, for clients of Holiday Inn Almaty – $105.
The sale of tickets to Universiade sports competitions also generated good income. Most cheap ticket cost 300 tenge. Spectators could watch matches for this amount group stage hockey tournament. The cost of a ticket for curling is 500 tenge, nordic combined – 700 tenge, speed skating – 1000 tenge, alpine skiing – 1500 tenge. To those who expressed a desire to admire figure skating, I had to pay 2500 tenge per ticket. The most expensive tickets - from 2000 to 5000 tenge - were sold for the final match of the hockey tournament.
If tickets for the opening of the Universiade were sold for 15 thousand tenge, then entrance to the closing of the Games cost 13 thousand tenge.
Evidence that interest in the sporting event was very high can be seen in the fact that all tickets were sold.
The Organizing Committee was forced to put up for general sale 90 percent of the seats allocated to FISU and official delegations
Before the start of the Universiade, it was assumed that revenue from ticket sales (compared to expenses) would be approximately 1 million tenge. However, if you consider that it was put up for general sale more tickets, then the amount should be higher.
Of course, the city akimat will publish how much these revenues replenished the treasury. But it cannot in any way determine the level of the Universiade.
In general, it is wrong to think that hosting the Universiade should bring profit. All costs of organizing sports competitions should be perceived as long-term investments.
The Universiade is over. 2 thousand athletes competed with each other in Almaty for 10 days and admired the landscapes of Alatau, together with their fans will return to their homeland. And if their feedback about our country is positive, one of the tasks of the Universiade has been solved.
Another plus:
newly built sports facilities will increase the number of our champions, in whose honor the anthem of our country will be played at the World Championships and Olympics
Facts about the Universiade:
- For all the time that Kazakhstan has been participating in the Universiade, and this is since 1993, more than 700 STUDENTS. They brought to the country's national treasure 125 MEDALS.
- Students aged 17-29 YEARS OLD.
- It is expected that more than 2000 ATHLETES from more than 55 COUNTRIES, 3000 of our and foreign volunteers and order 30 THOUSAND foreign GUESTS and tourists.
- They will be hosted by the first in the history of the Winter Universiade Athletic Village, specially built in the Alatau district of Almaty.
- It is planned to collect more than 1 BILLION. SPECTATORS.
- The Universiade budget allocates more than 17 BILLION. TENGE .
- Thanks to the construction of new facilities designed specifically for the Universiade, more than 4000 JOBS.
- The Organizing Committee of the 28th World Winter Universiade is headed by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Imangali Tasmagambetov, and he is assisted in this by the specially initiated Directorate for the 2017 Universiade, headed by Nail Nurov.
Sports facilities of the Universiade
(follow the operating modes on the official websites)
Ski resort "Shymbulak"- hosts competitions alpine skiing, snowboarding and freestyle. Founded in 1954, the resort is located in the Trans-Ili Alatau gorge at an altitude of 2260 m above sea level. Distance from the Athletic Village - 35.4 km. The average air temperature in winter is -7C. Trails with a total length of almost 12 km are certified by the International Federation skiing(FIS).
– hosts competitions in women's ice hockey and short track speed skating. The history of the sports palace goes back 50 years. Named after national hero, Kazakh wrestler, akyn and composer Baluan Sholak, the sports complex is used as an ice arena with a capacity of up to 5,000 people. In 2010, the Palace underwent reconstruction before the VII Winter Asian Games, after which it began to comply with all necessary international standards. Distance from the Athletic Village - 12.7 km.
High mountain skating rink "Medeu"- hosts competitions speed skating. Built in 1972, the skating rink is the world's largest high-altitude ice rink. winter species sports with a capacity of more than 8,000 people. Over the entire period of its existence, over 120 world records have been set on its ice arena. Distance from the Athletic Village - 30.6 km.
International ski jump complex "Sunkar"- hosts competitions in ski jumping and Nordic combined. Built specifically for the VII Asian Winter Games in 2010, the complex also includes a Ski Stadium. The capacity of MCLT "Sunkar" is 5200 spectators. Distance from the Athletes' Village – 16.1 km.
Sports and entertainment complex "Tabagan"– hosts competitions in Big Air and ski acrobatics. Located in the Talgar district, the complex accommodates 800 spectators. Distance from the Athletic Village - 36.6 km.
Hosts competitions in biathlon, cross-country skiing, and Nordic combined. Located in the Soldatsky Gorge of the Talgar region at an altitude of almost 1500 meters above sea level, sports facility can accommodate more than 6,000 spectators. Maximum length ski slopes– 10 km, biathlon tracks – 4 km. The complex territory includes administrative buildings, parking, a helipad, a shooting range and start-finish areas. LBC "Alatau" was built in 2010 to host the VII Asian Winter Games, therefore it meets the international standards of FIS and IBU.
- this is universal ice arena with a capacity of more than 3,000 spectators, built specifically for the Universiade and commissioned in 2016. Sports complex hosts men's ice hockey competitions. Distance from the Athletic Village - 18.5 km.
– this largest sports venue of the 2017 Universiade consists of two arenas with a total capacity of more than 12 thousand spectators. Within the walls of the multifunctional complex, with the possibility of modifications for other sports (volleyball, basketball, etc.), both ceremonies, Opening and Closing, as well as competitions in figure skating and curling.
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