On the Invitation of Mr Oleg Matytsin, President of the Russian Student Sport Union (RSSU), Mr Alberto Gualtieri, EUSA President and Mr Matjaz Pecovnik, EUSA Secretary General paid a visit to Moscow.

On the first day of their stay in the capital of Russia, the EUSA representatives visited together with Mr Matytsin the Headquarters of the Russian Olympic Committee to meet with Mr Marat Bariev, Executive Director. Present on the meeting were also Mr George E. Killian, FISU President and Mr Eric Saintrond, Secretary General, the Presidents of the National University Sports Associations from Azerbaijan, Estonia and Kazakhstan, the Minister of Youth, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Tatarstan Mr Rafis Burganov and General Director of 2013 Kazan Universiade Mr Vladimir Leonov.

 

The participants discussed the topic connected to the university and Olympic sports as well as the organisation of international sport events in Russia. On behalf of Mr Dmitry Medvedev, the President of the Russian Federation, Mr Bariev awarded the guests with a special medals and diplomas for their contribution to the development of the university sports.

 

Moscow will be in the next days full of sports, as the city hosts the International Sport Forum “Russia – Country of Sports,” on which also the representatives from FISU, EUSA and invited NUSA will take an active part. At the same time many international tournaments, such as Sambo Cup, European Junior Canoe and Kayak Championship; XIV Moscow International Sailing Regatta and many other sports events are organised.

 

On the evening all the participants were invited to the Reception offered by the Mayor of Moscow, Mr Yuri Luzhkov. The Gala Dinner was attended by over 1000 invited guests from Russian and International Sports Federations. After his welcome speech the Mayor of Moscow officially announced the Forum opened. In his speech the President of the Russian Olympic Committee and Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mr Alexander Dmitrievich Zhukov especially welcomed all the champions of the Moscow Olympic Games which celebrate in this days its 30th anniversary. The dinner concluded with a rich cultural programme.