The preparations for the Chengdu 2021 Summer Universiade received a big boost when an official delegation of the International University Sports Federation (FISU) gave a green signal after they conducted their very first inspection visit following the official attribution of the event.
The Games, featuring top university athletes across the world, will get underway in just two years and four months, and this will be the 31st edition of the Summer Universiade.
The FISU delegation, led by the Summer Universiade Director Marc Vandenplas, mainly focused on sports venue selection as well as the initial plan for the Athletes' Village during their five-day visit to the city in China's Sichuan Province.
FISU delegation visits one of the venues for the 2021 Chengdu Summer Universiade in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. /Courtesy: FISU
After visiting a number of venues, Vandenplas said, "This visit has once again shown us the professionalism of the city of Chengdu. Most of the existing venues are of a very high standard, although they will need some upgrade in terms of lighting, lockers, etc. Fifteen new venues are going to be built which presents a challenge in the two years and four months left before the Opening Ceremony. But this risk is controlled, as a strong contingency plan can be in place with a lot of spare venues available."
"We are very confident when we see the intelligent way the team in Chengdu is operating. For example, they do not hesitate to visit Shenzhen to enlist the expertise of former members of the Shenzhen (2011) Organizing Committee and have even incorporated some of them into their team," he added.
The first Working Session began on March 17 when professional consultancy institutions introduced the venue seating plan for the Chengdu Universiade at the opening meeting.
The organizers also presented plans for the construction of several new facilities.