Pan-American University Sport Association (ODUPA) held its Executive Committee meeting in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in mid March.

 

The first official activity was a meeting with the president of the Dominican Republic Olympic Committee, Mr Luis Mejia Oviedo. FISU Vice-President Luciano Cabral represented FISU at the meeting which was attended by ODUPA President Mr Sotero Vazques, ODUPA Vice-President Mrs Delise O `Meally, ODUCC President, Mrs Sonia Staph, COSUD President Mr Alim Maluf, ODUPA Treasurer Mr Sergio Ramirez, ODUPA Secretary-General Mr Guno Rudge and the President of the University Sport Federation of Dominican Republic, Mr Julio Gomez.

 

During the meeting Mr Cabral spoke about the importance of the university sports in the athlete’s education and sports life. He also spoke about the necessity for the Olympic Committees to work together with the University Sport Federations. He also stressed that the Dominican people should be proud to have a Dominican as president of ODUPA, a continental institution that has the support of all countries in the Americas, including Brazil, USA, Canada and Mexico. Mr Cabral also introduced to the guests a current overview of the university sport movement in the world and the concepts and values of FISU.

 

Mr Luis Mejia spoke about the recent history of the sport in his country and said that college sports have the full support of the Dominican Olympic Committee. Mrs Staph stressed the need for strengthening the transverse action sports system. Following the ODUPA meeting programme, the FISU Vice-President Mr Cabral attended a meeting with the ODUPA Executive Committee where he proposed actions to strengthen the university sports in all Americas, with some suggestions and concepts previously discussed with FISU President Claude-Louis Gallien.

 

By the end of the meetings, ODUPA showed interest in submitting a project to FISU for the next two years. According to the ODUPA President Mr Vasquez, the meeting was a great way to plan the future of the university sport on the American continent.