Romania launches bid for 2021 Summer Universiade

The European nation got its campaign underway in the presence of Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, International University Sports Federation (FISU) secretary general and chief executive Eric Saintrond, and representatives from the Romanian University Sports Association and the Association Vasile Tomoiagă at an event at the Aula Magna of the University of Bucharest's Faculty of Law. "An event of this scale will be beneficial for Romania both economically and socially," Iohannis said. "The Universiade will improve the image of our country and develop tourism. "With this Universiade, large investments will also be made to the development of sport in Romania, which is more than necessary."

Nadia Comăneci

As well as having Iohannis' support, the bid is said to also be backed by prominent Romanian sports figures, including Olympic champion gymnast Nadia Comăneci (photo, right >) and athletics gold medallist Gabriela Szabo - both are Universiade gold medal winners, as well as tennis star Simona Halep and gymnastics World Championships gold medallist Andreea Răducan.
Romania already has experience of hosting a Summer Universiade, having staged the 1981 edition where Comăneci won five gold medals.

Eric Saintrond, FISU Secretary-General

"The Universiade will be used to develop the skills and professionalism of your future generations," Eric Saintrond said.

The next edition of the summer university athlete multisport competition will take place 2015 in the South Korean city of Gwangju from July 3 to 14, before it travels to Taiwan's capital Taipei in 2017.
FISU reopened the bidding process for the 2019 event following Brasília's withdrawal from hosting the event at the beginning of this year.
* source: fisu / insidethegames

♦♦ Previous Events (→ Artistic gymnastics)
→ 2013 - 27th Summer Universidade - Kazan (RUS)
→ 2011 - 26th Summer Universiade – Shenzhen (CHN)
→ 2009 - 25th Summer Universiade – Belgrade (SRB)
→ 2007 - 24th Summer Universiade – Bangkok (THA)
→ 2005 - 23rd Summer Universiade – Izmir (TUR)
→ 2003 - 22nd Summer Universiade – Daegu (KOR)
2001 - 21st Summer Universiade – Beijing (CHN)
1999 - 20th Summer Universiade - Palma de Mallorca (ESP)
1997 - 19th Summer Universiade – Sicily (ITA)
1995 - 18th Summer Universiade – Fukuoka (JPN)
1993 - 17th Summer Universiade – Buffalo (USA)
1991 - 16th Summer Universiade – Sheffield (GBR)
1987 - 14th Summer Universiade – Zagreb (YUG)
1985 - 13th Summer Universiade – Kobe (JPN)
1983 - 12th Summer Universiade – Edmonton (CAN)
1981 - 11th Summer Universiade – Bucharest (ROU)
1979 - 10th Summer Universiade - Mexico City (MEX)
1977 - 9th Summer Universiade – Sofia (BUL)
1973 - 7th Summer Universiade – Moscow (URS)
1970 - 6th Summer Universiade – Torino (ITA)
1967 - 5th Summer Universiade – Tokyo (JPN)
1965 - 4th Summer Universiade – Budapest (HUN)
1963 - 3rd Summer Universiade - Porto Alegre (BRA)
1961 - 2nd Summer Universiade – Sofia (BUL)