The International University Sports Federation (FISU) has announced that it is suspending Ekaterinburg’s hosting rights for the 2023 Summer World University Games.
Ekaterinburg is the fourth-largest city in Russia, a nation that has been handed global sporting sanctions in the wake of its ongoing invasion of Ukraine which began in February.
“FISU has been bringing young people together from around the world in safe and peaceful celebration this year, with the resumption of our FISU World University Championships,” said Leonz Eder, FISU Acting President.
“And we are more determined than ever to provide even more of these opportunities in the future, in partnership with the host cities to whom we remain deeply grateful.”
FISU had previously withdrawn its inaugural University World Cup Combat Sports from Ekaterinburg, which will now take place in Samsun, Turkey in September.
The 2023 Summer World University Games are scheduled for August 8-19, 2023. FISU did not address if those dates will remain as it searches for a new host.
Ekaterinburg 2023 general director Alexander Chernov reportedly told Russia’s official state news agency TASS that the dates would be postponed but the event would not change hosts, according to Inside the Games, though that wasn’t addressed by FISU.
UPDATED STORY: #Yekaterinburg2023 general director Alexander Chernov has claimed “this is not a transfer from Yekaterinburg, this is a transfer to a later date” over the staging of the #FISU Summer World University Gameshttps://t.co/LcaWzbwP8v
— insidethegames (@insidethegames) April 29, 2022
The 2021 World University Games, which were postponed until 2022, are still on for Chengdu, China, June 26-July 7, with Russian and Belarusian athletes banned from competing.
With many nations having already withdrawn from competing in this year’s Games for a number of reasons, another event next year, especially one in Russia, would not likely be a high priority for most countries, even if the Russian invasion of Ukraine were settled by then.
Additionally, FISU has also moved its Executive Committee meeting scheduled for later this year in Ekaterinburg to Brussels, Belgium, November 10-12.
While their reasoning is clear and trenchant, it has to be a load to bear if you are a collegial swimmer! And the lack of an announcement for a parallel site and new dates is just another bummer.