FISU President: 'Other Candidates Considered' Before Naples Chosen as 2019 Summer Universiade Host

(ATR) International University Sports Federation president Oleg Matytsin says that Naples, Italy, met strict evaluation criteria and was "the best decision" to host Summer Universiade 2019. However, he says, other candidate cities were considered.

Matytsin tells Around the Rings that the FISU brand is thriving and Budapest, Baku and the Chinese city of Xiamen were also interested in hosting the multi-sport event for student athletes. The news comes despite previous reports that Naples was the lone candidate in a reopened bidding process following Brasilia’s withdrawal as host in January 2015 due to financial difficulties.

"We had candidates from Budapest, Hungary, but of course Budapest is also a candidate for the 2024 Summer Olympics," Matytsin revealed to ATR during a phone interview from Moscow.

"Also, we discussed a bid with our colleagues from China, but finally the city of Xiamen decided to wait for the next Summer Universiade because of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing," he said.

"Baku, Azerbaijan was also a candidate, but with different cases, there were different reasons and we still have this candidate for the future," said Matytsin, who was elected as president of FISU in November 2015.

"For today, I think we took the best decision," Matytsin said of Naples, which was officially announced as the 2019 Summer Universiade host city on May 31.

Matytsin said that FISU, which has been recognized by the IOC since 1961, is following the IOC’s Agenda 2020 recommendations relating to a more user-friendly bidding process. Recommendation one vows to shape the bidding process as an invitation, while the second recommendation pledges to evaluate bid cities by assessing key opportunities and risk.

"Our concept now is according to Agenda 2020 – to use the resources of the candidate cities and very carefully investigate and communicate with the potential host cities," Matytsin said.

"For some cities let’s say it is a little risky, so we are preventing losing time and losing money."

The FISU chief says that Naples – which will host Summer Universiade 60 years after Turin hosted the inaugural edition in 1959 – will benefit from hosting the multi-sport event for student athletes.

The ancient southern Italian port metropolis is most known for its Napoli Football Club, but it has never hosted a major international multi-sport event.

"It’s a real challenge for FISU, the Campania Region and Naples because they haven’t experience hosting multi-sport events, but they have in mind to develop the city, develop the region and to create more comfortable conditions for people in this region," Matytsin said.

"Sport creates a very fantastic opportunity for the development, but of course it depends on professional activities and teamwork with FISU and with all national and international federations and companies responsible for the construction," he said.

According to FISU, the Naples bid has central government backing from the Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and the full support of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), the Italian University Sports Federation (CUSI), all of whom will be active participants in organizing the event.

Vincenzo De Luca, the president of the Region of Campania, discussed the significance of the FISU showcase event coming to southern Italy.

"The Universiade will bring important investment opportunities to Campania. The event is a global showcase and will give a boost to the region of extraordinary value," De Luca said. "We have to stay focused and do everything that is required because it’s a great opportunity."

Matytsin added about Naples and the Region of Campania: "We as a partner are ready to open our book and give them our advice. We see a very high level of motivation from them for how to use all resources to help develop the region."

Naples will become the fourth Italian host of the Summer Universiade following Turin, Rome and Sicily.

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