The Student Sport Association and the Vasile Tomoiaga Association officially launched, on Tuesday, Romania’s bid to organize the 2021 Summer Universiade, in an event held at the Faculty of Law in Bucharest also attended by President Klaus Iohannis.
At the launch, event to which Agerpres was a media partner, were also, Minister of Youth and Sports Gabriela Szabo, chairman of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee (COSR) Alin Petrache, Minister of Education and Scientific Research Sorin Mihai Cimpeanu, Secretary-General of the International University Sports Federation (FISU) Eric Saintrond, chairmen of sports federations, Olympic, world and European champions, as well as a high number of journalists.
Adrian Socaciu, founder and chairman of the Student Sport Association, stated that this bid is a country project and the initiative was met with both scepticism and enthusiasm. “The organization of the 2021 Universiade is a country project and surmises a 12 day competition that will gather 9,000 athletes from 168 countries, in three mandatory sports disciplines and three at choice. Our country has previously organized this event in 1981 and came out second in the final nations’ standings. The final decision will be adopted in November 2015. Romania needs such a project,” stated Socaciu.
Gabriela Szabo hailed the initiative and promised the support of the Ministry she leads: “The Ministry of Youth and Sports [MTS] supports the organization in our country of such events, that have a high impact on developing infrastructure, but also have effects in the labor market. It is a laudable initiative that the MTS supports.”
Chairman of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee (COSR) Alin Petrache also joined the project: “We support Romania’s participation in international competitions, but it is just as important to host in our country such manifestations. You have the COSR as an ally and partner in supporting of this project”.
Former champion Nadia Comaneci has sent a video message in which she said: “Romania has hosted in 1981 a Universiade, I emphasize that our country is a territory full of champions and beauty. I am Nadia Comaneci and I support this initiative.”
Romania’s bid is supported by Romanian champions such as Nadia Comaneci, Andreea Raducan, Sandra Izbasa, Corina Ungureanu, Ivan Patzaichin, Elisabeta Lipa, Valeria Racila, Mihai Covaliu, Nicu Vlad, Alina Dumitru, Doina Melinte, Maricica Puica, Carmen Bunaciu and many others.