World University Games to bring together thousands of student-athletes in China

By Emre Asikci

ISTANBUL (AA) - Thousands of student-athletes from more than 150 countries will participate in the World University Games beginning in China’s Chengdu city on Friday.

The athletes will participate in 25 compulsory sports disciplines in the 31st edition of the games.

The World University Games, which is the largest global sports event for student-athletes, is organized every two years in different cities around the world by the International University Sports Federation (FISU).

In a statement, FISU President Oleg Matytsin said: "Twenty percent of the world's university students are in China, and the national university sports federation has a clear and proven capability of holding student sports events of the very highest quality, even at relatively short notice."

"We have no doubt that Chengdu 2021 will prove to be an exceptional World University Games host that will make a lasting and very positive impression both on the participants and on the city itself," he said.

The 2003 Summer Universiade, which was held in the South Korean city of Daegu saw a record 174 countries competing and the Kazan 2013 Summer Universiade drew a record 11,759 athletes to the Russian city.