There was a ceremonial parade of all 18 national teams, a performance by the University of Warsaw choir, and a taste of Polish hospitality. The FISU World University Championships Futsal have officially begun. The big question is: who will win the medals?
What was until recently just a plan for the organisers has now become a reality. On Tuesday, the official opening ceremony of the championships took place at the OSIR Włochy sports hall. It all began with the official parade. The Brazilians, the most successful team in the history of the World University Championships Futsal, were the first to take to the field. The Polish University National Team brought up the rear. The parade was accompanied by music chosen in advance by the student-athletes themselves.
Zuzanna Maronde – captain of the Polish University National Team and a student at the Academy of Physical Culture in Kraków – took the oath on behalf of the athletes. Marek Konopczyński – president of AZS Warsaw, Marian Dymalski – vice-president of FISU, and Prof. Alojzy Nowak – president of the University Sports Association of Poland, who officially opened the competition – addressed the gathering. Another important part of the ceremony was the raising of the FISU flag and the singing of the academic anthem ‘Gaudeamus Igitur’.
The teams have been in Poland for several days now and are eagerly awaiting their first matches. “I really enjoyed the opening ceremony and it’s wonderful to be part of such a huge event. Of course, we’re aiming for the best possible result,” said Maria, a member of the Finnish team.
The event is organised by the University Sports Association of Warsaw and the University Sports Association of Warsaw FISU is a co-organiser. The main partners of the championships are: the Ministry of Sport and Tourism, the Capital City of Warsaw, the Mazovia Province Local Government and the Bemowo District Office.
Partners include: Totalizator Sportowy, the Toyota W&J Wiśniewski dealership, Arche Hotels, Dawtona Polska and Warsaw Suburban Railways
Sports partners: the Polish Football Association, the Polish Handball Association, the Pruszków Centre for Culture and Sport, OSIR Bemowo and OSiR Włochy
Honorary patronage of the event has been granted by: the Mayor of the Capital City of Warsaw – Mr Rafał Trzaskowski; the Marshal of the Mazovia Province – Mr Adam Struzik; the Minister of Sport and Tourism – Mr Jakub Rutnicki; the Minister for Science and Higher Education – Mr Marcin Kulasek, the Minister of National Defence – Mr Władysław Kosiniak Kamysz, and the Pruszków County Administrator – Mr Adrian Ejssymont.
Media patronage for the event is provided by TVP Warszawa and the futsal-polska.pl website.
8 Jul
