Tbilisi was the location of the third Executive Committee Meeting of the European University Sports Association (EUSA) in 2014 between June 12 and 14.

 

The meeting was held in the Georgian capital on the invitation of the University Sports Federation of Georgia (USFG). Participants of the meeting were the EUSA Executive Committee members and invited guests, representatives of the national university sports associations in the region from Armenia, Azerbaijan and the hosts from Georgia.

 

The official part of the meeting started on Thursday, June 12, with the welcome address by the Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs of Georgia Mr Levan Kipiani and the Deputy Minister Mr Tamaz Tevzadze. Mr Adam Roczek, EUSA President thanked the Minister and the University Sports Federation of Georgia for hosting the event.

 

On behalf of USFG, the President Mr Lekso Gugava and the Vice-President Mr Shota Bakradze presented the activities of the federation and the events they are organising. They stressed the commitment of USFG to continue to take part in European and International university sports event and also expressed strong interest to host EUSA sports events in Georgia.

 

At the meeting also Mr Hovhannes Gabrielyan from the Armenian Student Sports Federation (ARMSSF) and Mr Tofiq Khanaliyev and Ms Afet Guliyeva from the Freewill Student Sport Society of Azerbaijan (GENJLIK) addressed the EUSA Executive Committee Members, expressed their happiness to be present at the meeting and discussed some ideas of regional development.

 

EUSA President Mr Roczek then presented key developments in the federation, highlighting among others the great achievement of the joint bid, submitted by the Organising committee of the European Universities Games 2014, receiving support within the Erasmus+ programme for non-profit sport events. Mr Matjaz Pecovnik, Secretary General continued with the office report, informing the members of the recent activities and outlining the upcoming areas of discussion during the meeting.

 

The discussion continued with the overview of reports of the past and upcoming EUSA meetings, which are also supported by the International University Sports Federation (FISU). These include the Executive Committee Meetings, the General Assemblies, EUSA Conference and Convention. EUSA treasurer Mr Olaf Tabor presented the financial part and the preliminary overview of the operation of the organisation for the first five months in this year.

 

Members of EUSA Commissions and working groups presented their reports. The report of the Student Commission was made by Mr Bruno Barracosa, Chair of the Commission, highlighting the programme and planned activities. Mr Andrej Pisl as a member of the Media and Communication Commission presented the activities and plans of the commission. Mr Olaf Tabor as the Chair of the Finances and Marketing Commission presented his report, linking it to the previously presented budget report. Mr Roczek presented the activities of the Rules and Regulations Commission as its chair and the report of the Technical Commission was given by its Chair Mrs Ivana Ertlova, assisted by Mr Patrik Perosa, Sports Manager.

 

Mr Perosa also reported on the sports events and other sport related matters, staring with the Technical Regulations for sport climbing and chess and progress report on the European Universities Championships 2015. EUSA Executive Committee Member also discussed and confirmed the bidding process for the European Universities Games 2017, which will open on July 1, 2014.

 

The focus then shifted to the topic of the European Universities Games. Mr Kemal Tamer as the Chair of the Supervision Commission reported on the European Universities Games Rotterdam 2014, focusing on the last activities of the commission, which visited Rotterdam in May. The members of the Executive Committee then discussed other details and were presented the plan of EUSA activities during the event, presented by the Secretary General Mr Pecovnik.

 

On Friday, June 13, the meeting continued with the topic of the future European Universities Games. The 3rd edition of the event, which will be held in Zagreb-Rijeka in 2016 was discussed first. After the presentation of the evaluation commission, given by Mrs Ertlova and Mr Perosa, Mr Zrinko Custonja, the President of the Croatian Academic Sports Federation (CASF) and the member of the Executive Committee of the organising body for the 2016 Games presented the official proposal about the extension of the sports to be offered in the programme in two years.

 

Various project were presented and reported at the meeting. The projects supported by the International University Sports Federation (FISU) were presented by Mr Pecovnik. Mr Pisl reported on the EU and other partners’ projects EUSA is involved in and those still in the application process. The topics focusing on the international cooperation concluded the agenda for the meeting. Updates about FISU and other Continental Organisations was given by Mr Roczek and Mr Oleg Matytsin, EUSA Vice-President, also FISU 1st Vice-President and Chair of the Intercontinental Council within FISU.

 

The participants were also acquainted with the main developments within EUSA members – national university sports associations in Europe. Special focus was given on the reports from the recent and upcoming events under EUSA patronage – the Prague International University Marathon 2014 (Prague, CZE: May 11), 30th SELL Games (Tartu, EST: June 10-17), 9th Friendship Games (Eilat, ISR: July 8-11) and the BUCS Conference 2014 (Swansea, GBR: July 8-11). Reports and updates related to the various partner organisations concluded the meeting discussions.

 

The formal part of the meeting officially concluded with a special dinner in the presence of the Minister Kipiani, who expressed his great satisfaction that the meeting was held in Tbilisi, Georgia.

 

On Saturday, the participants enjoyed an organised sightseeing tour of the current and former capital of Georgia - Tbilisi and Mtskheta. They also took the opportunity for non-formal discussions and thanked again the Georgian hosts for their hospitality.