University International Sports Festival Explained

Международный фестиваль студенческого спорта
Host City:Yekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk Oblast
Country:Russia
Teams:36
Athletes:4100 (planned)
Events:197 in 14 Sports

University International Sports Festival was a regional sports event held Yekaterinburg, Russia from 19 August 2023 to 31 August 2023. 4,000 athletes aged 17 to 23 from 22 countries contested for 197 medal events across 14 sports. The event is also one of the main events to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the founding of Yekaterinburg.[1]

Developments

The sports festival was established after the cancellation of the 2023 Summer World University Games and suspension of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the 2021 Summer World University Games due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus were expected to participate in games, members of BRICS, SCO and CIS were also invited.[2] [3]

On 28 January 2023, the first information bulletin was published on the official website of the University International Sports Festival in English and Russian.[4]

Festival overview

Preparations

Safety measures

Since August 15 till September, sale of alcohol and beverages are banned in the center of Yekaterinburg.[10]

Symbols of the games

Logo

On 1 February 2023, the logo for the University International Sports Festival is revealed. The basis of the logo are "EKAT", four multi-coloured letters that reflects the natural diversity of the host city, its forests and lakes, rivers and mountains, fields and plains. Meanwhile, straight lines used to feature the Ural constructivism.[11]

Slogan

The slogan for the festivals is announced as "Yekaterinburg on Sports" following a public vote.[12]

Theme song

The theme song "Boost of Energy, Positivity, and Drive" was announced in late May. The piece is written by Dmitry Filatov, conductor of the Ural Youth Symphony Orchestra and will be used in events in the festival.[13]

Ambassador

On 19 April 2023, the committee announced that Anzhelika Timanina, Olympic and 11-time world champion in artistic swimming, will join as the sports ambassador of the festival.[14]

On 11 May 2023, the committee announced that David Belyavskiy, 1-time Olympic and world champion in gymnastics becomes a festival ambassador.[15]

Several other athletes were also announced as ambassadors of the festival.

Official partners

Venues

The sports festival will be held in the following venues:[19]

Schedule

https://ekat2023.com/en/schedule

Events

The following 14 sports will be contested in the games, and 197 medals distributed:[20]

Participating nations

Members of the BRICS, SCO and CIS are invited to partake in the games. The following countries are chosen by the organizing committee initially. Later in March 2023, the Russian ambassador to China revealed that 94 countries are expected to compete at the Festival, but whether these countries are sending athletes to the games is still unconfirmed.[21] [22]

In April 2023, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko revealed to the press that 16 countries have expressed their readiness to take part in the festival, while the Russian ministry of sports has been working on inviting other countries to participate in the games. Meanwhile the Russian sports minister Oleg Matytsin revealed that Russia has invited athletes from Benin, Senegal and Togo and various other countries to take part in the games to boost international cooperation in the field of physical culture and sports.[23] [24] [25]

In July 2023, the first list of confirmed participating nations are announced.[26] On 2 August 2023, the second batch of confirmed participating nations are announced.[27] On 14 August 2023, 36 countries are confirmed to participate in the festival by the organizing committee.[28]

  1. Afghanistan[28]
  2. Argentina[27]
  3. Armenia[27]
  4. Azerbaijan[28]
  5. Bahrain[28]
  6. Bangladesh[27]
  7. Belarus[26]
  8. Brazil[27]
  9. China
  10. Cuba
  11. Ecuador
  12. Guatemala[27]
  13. India[28]
  14. Indonesia
  15. Iran[27]
  16. Iraq[28]
  17. Kazakhstan
  18. Kyrgyzstan[27]
  19. Mexico[27]
  20. Mongolia[28]
  21. Nigeria
  22. Pakistan
  23. Russia (Host)
  24. Serbia[27]
  25. South Ossetia[28]
  26. Sri Lanka
  27. Syria[28]
  28. Tajikistan[29]
  29. Tanzania
  30. Thailand[28]
  31. Turkey[28]
  32. Uganda
  33. Uzbekistan[28]
  34. Venezuela
  35. Vietnam
  36. Zimbabwe

Medal table

Medal table are as follows:[30]

Official Broadcaster

Official broadcasters of the festival are listed as follows[31]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: In honor of the 300th anniversary of Yekaterinburg, the citizens will be presented with an enchanting light and music fountain (В честь 300-летия Екатеринбурга горожанам презентуют фееричный светомузыкальный фонтан) . 20 February 2023 . Apiural . 17 February 2023 . Russian.
  2. News: More than 500 events to be held within the cross years of Russian-Chinese cooperation in the fields of sports (БОЛЕЕ 500 МЕРОПРИЯТИЙ ПРОЙДУТ В РАМКАХ ПЕРЕКРЁСТНЫХ ГОДОВ РОССИЙСКО-КИТАЙСКОГО СОТРУДНИЧЕСТВА В СФЕРЕ СПОРТА) . 8 December 2022 . Nao24.
  3. News: Rowbottom . Mike . New Russian-Chinese sporting initiative will involve International University Sports Festival . 8 December 2022 . Inside the news . 18 October 2022.
  4. Web site: University International Sports Festival - First information bulletin (English) . Ekat 2023 (University International Sports Festival) . 27 February 2023.
  5. News: Sergeev . Igor . Auditors Kuyvashev raided the construction site because of the urgent task of Putin (Ревизоры Куйвашева нагрянули на стройку из-за неотложного задания Путина) . 14 January 2023 . Ura News . 28 December 2022 . Russian.
  6. News: Dolgopolov . Nikolay . Kozina . Anna . Trisvyatsky . Ilya . Oleg Matytsin: "Sport should not destroyed." Interview of the Minister of Sports to Rossiyskaya Gazeta (Олег Матыцин: "Спорт не должен разрушать". Интервью министра спорта "Российской газете") . 14 January 2023 . Rossiyskaya Gazeta . Altai Sport . 4 January 2023 . Altai Sport - 202301014 . Russian.
  7. News: Borisenko . Polina . The first two dormitories were opened in the Universiade Village (В Деревне Универсиады открыли первые два общежития) . 28 January 2023 . Nakanune . 26 January 2023.
  8. News: Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko Holds the First Meeting of the Festival Organising Committee . 8 May 2023 . University International Sports Festival . 10 April 2023.
  9. News: University International Sports Festival Tickets on Sale . 18 July 2023 . University International Sports Festival . 17 July 2023.
  10. News: The sale of alcohol was banned in the center of Yekaterinburg until September (В центре Екатеринбурга до сентября запретили продажу алкоголя) . 15 August 2023 . DK News . 15 August 2023 . Russian.
  11. News: Meet and get used to it: logo of the University International Sports Festival approved . 27 February 2023 . University International Sports Festival . 1 February 2023.
  12. News: Berkeley . Geoff . Russian conductor writes music for International University Sports Festival . 2 June 2023 . Inside the games . 30 May 2023.
  13. News: Boost of Energy, Positivity, and Drive: University International Sports Festival Gets Its Theme Song . 2 June 2023 . University International Sports Festival . 30 May 2023.
  14. News: Anzhelika Timanina Becomes University International Sports Festival Ambassador . 8 May 2023 . University International Sports Festival . 19 April 2023.
  15. News: David Belyavskiy Becomes Festival Ambassador . 30 May 2023 . University International Sports Festival . 11 May 2023.
  16. News: Gornovsky . Alexey . The organizers of the alternative Universiade in Yekaterinburg spoke about a new partner (Организаторы альтернативной Универсиады в Екатеринбурге рассказали о новом партнере) . 6 March 2023 . Ura.ru . 1 April 2023.
  17. Web site: Koltsovo Airport and Festival Partner Up . University International Sports Festival . 15 August 2023.
  18. News: Ural Federal University Becomes Festival Volunteer Programme Operator . 8 May 2023 . University International Sports Festival . 6 April 2023.
  19. News: Over 4000 people to participate in university sports festival (В ФЕСТИВАЛЕ УНИВЕРСИТЕТСКОГО СПОРТА ПРИМУТ УЧАСТИЕ БОЛЕЕ 4 000 ЧЕЛОВЕК) . 8 December 2022 . TASS . 1 December 2022.
  20. News: Rowbottom . Mike . Yekaterinburg's 2023 International University Sports Festival to attract 250,000 spectators . 8 December 2022 . Inside the news . 19 October 2022.
  21. News: Burke . Patrick . International University Sports Festival in Yekaterinburg expected to feature 22 countries . 8 December 2022 . Inside the games . 5 December 2022.
  22. News: Burke . Patrick . Russian Ambassador to China reveals plans for Summer Youth Games as countries draw closer after Ukraine invasion . 10 March 2023 . Inside the games . 5 March 2023.
  23. News: 16 countries want to participate in the International University Sports Festival in Russia (16 стран хотят участвовать в Международном фестивале студенческого спорта в России) . 8 May 2023 . Russkiy Mir portal . 11 April 2023 . Russian.
  24. News: Berkeley . Geoff . Russian Sports Minister visits Africa in push to build international coalition . 8 May 2023 . Inside the games . 26 April 2023.
  25. News: Russian Minister of Sport Invites Athletes from Bahrain and Mali to Participate in the Festival . 29 May 2023 . Ekat2023 . 18 May 2023.
  26. News: The first 15 countries participating in the International University Sports Festival have become known (Стали известны первые 15 стран-участниц Международного фестиваля университетского спорта) . 22 July 2023 . Students sport . 20 July 2023 . Russian.
  27. News: Teams from Argentina and Serbia will come to Yekaterinburg for the University Sports Festival (Команды Аргентины и Сербии приедут в Екатеринбург на Фестиваль университетского спорта). 14 August 2023 . Ural Inform. 2 August 2023.
  28. News: Athletes from 36 countries will perform at the International University Sports Festival (На Международном фестивале университетского спорта выступят спортсмены из 36 стран) . 15 August 2023 . Student Sports . 14 August 2023 . Russian.
  29. News: Tajikistan will perform at the International Festival . 17 November 2022 . 9 November 2022.
  30. News: Modenova . Anastasia . The results of the International Sports Festival were summed up in Yekaterinburg: who took more gold (В Екатеринбурге подвели итоги Международного фестиваля спорта: кто взял больше золота) . 1 September 2023 . E1.ru . Russian.
  31. News: UISF 2023 Live: Where to Watch . 2023-08-15 . University International Sports Festival . 2023-08-14.