Lucerne 2021 Winter Universiade to be held in December 2021

The International University Sports Federation (FISU), announced its joint

decision with the Lucerne 2021 Organising Committee to hold the Winter Universiade from 11 to 21

December 2021, in Central Switzerland and Lenzerheide. Since late August, the organisers had halted

preparations for the 30th edition of this unique event, initially scheduled to take place in January

2021, and looked into the possibility of postponing it, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"We are extremely pleased that the Winter Universiade 2021 can still take place, in spite of the

pandemic-induced postponement," said FISU President Oleg Matytsin. "After very careful

consultation between all relevant stakeholders, including the six cantons of Central Switzerland, we

mutually agreed to hold the event in December 2021."

"Here in Switzerland, where FISU also has its headquarters, we have been looking forward to this

edition of our Games for many years," he added.

The decision to evaluate the possibility to postpone the Games from January 2021 to a later date was

taken on 31 August 2020. Since then, FISU worked closely with the Organising Committee, the

involved International Federations of winter sports and all stakeholders to try and find a solution for

holding the postponed Games in December 2021.

"We worked closely with our national member federations as well as the six International

Federations governing the sports of the Winter Games. December 2021 had emerged as the

strongest possibility for rescheduling the Games," said FISU Secretary General-CEO Eric Saintrond.

"After detailed deliberations on the very tight international sports calendar, and several rounds of

discussions, we agreed with the Organising Committee that the Games will now be held from 11 to

​ 21 December 2021."

"This year has been dramatically affected by the COVID-19 pandemic," added the FISU SG-CEO. "The

ripple effects will be felt in the international sports calendar over the next year or more. We had to

keep in mind the current situation, national budgeting and international sport calendars."

"It was only thanks to enormous commitment and good collaboration between the cantons, the city

of Lucerne and the main stakeholders in the sports industry and the region that we were able to

present FISU with this proposal to postpone the event," explained President of the Organising

Committee and Cantonal Councillor of Lucerne, Guido Graf.

Swiss Olympic President Jürg Stahl added: "Sport gives many young people an opportunity. The

Winter Universiade offers a platform for high-performance sport as well as higher education. These

topics must not be forgotten during the pandemic."

The FISU President thanked the Lucerne 2021 Organising Committee for their tireless efforts and

support through a challenging time.

"On behalf of everyone at FISU, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the State authorities

of Switzerland, the different Cantons and the Lucerne 2021 Organising Committee for their

unwavering commitment," he said. "Let us now deliver on the promise of international university

sport for thousands of young athletes around the world."

The Winter Universiade is the largest winter multisport event for university student-athletes. In

December 2021, the 30th edition of this event will take place as a joint project of the six cantons of

Central Switzerland: Lucerne, Uri, Schwyz, Obwalden, Nidwalden and Zug, as well as the city of

Lucerne. The programme will comprise competitions in ten sporting disciplines held at seven venues.

Photos and further information on the Lucerne 2021 Winter Universiade can be found at:

www.winteruniversiade2021.ch

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