The German University Sports Federation (adh) has submitted a ‘Letter of Intention’ to FISU, officially starting the process for hosting the Summer Universiade in 2025.
Germany is preparing to be the host country of the Summer Universiade 2025. Among the several interested cities and regions, one will be confirmed by September.
In order to make a clear decision for selecting the most fitting host city, the German University Sports Federation is in talks with the Federal Interior Ministry (BMI) and has just finished the process of a potential analysis, which determines the advantages and challenges of four interested candidates.
Senior figures of the BMI, members of the German Parliament and the German Olympic Sports Confederation were present at the recently concluded Universiade in Napoli to understand the scale and special character of the Universiade.
Parliamentary State Secretary, Stephan Mayer, assured that the Federal Government will fully support a German candidature. He said: “The Ministry of Interior strongly welcomes the effort of the German University Sports Federation to apply for hosting the Summer Universiade in 2025 and supports the process very closely. I am very convinced that Germany would be an excellent host for the second largest multi-sport event – after the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
A central theme of the German bid will be economic, ecological and social sustainability. Jörg Förster, chairman of the board of the German University Sports Federation also emphasised that “the Universiade should spur important development in every field of German sports and especially university sports.”
This possible bid is likely to be discussed by the Sports Committee of the German Parliament in mid-October 2019, followed by a vote among the 200 member universities of the adh, in November.
FISU Secretary General and CEO Eric Saintrond said “FISU welcomes this letter of intent from Germany. We support a German candidature for 2025 and we look forward to the next steps with the German University Sports Federation.”
“We also appreciate the feasibility analysis,” added Saintrond. “Ecological and social sustainability are very important for the future of the Universiade. And we are glad that our German colleagues will make this a central theme of their bid.”