FISU Moves onto University of Lausanne Campus

LAUSANNE - With the cutting of the ceremonial ribbon, FISU President Oleg Matytsin ushered in a new era as the International University Sports Federation (FISU) officially opened its new headquarters in the Olympic Capital today.

Situated in a park-like setting within the University of Lausanne campus, the base of operations for FISU is the Synathlon - a new building dedicated to sport sciences and international university sport development. Located near the banks of Lake Geneva, the venue is home to the International University Sports Cluster, a one-stop shop of organisations and entities that benefit from industry-leading sports management training and research.

Sharing the Synathlon building with FISU is the University of Lausanne’s sport science operations, ThinkSport, and the International Academy of Sciences and Sports Techniques (AISTS) - the world’s number one ranked programme for sport management.

Whilst the day marked the official opening of the new FISU headquarters, 30 FISU employees had already moved into the building three months earlier. During Mr. Matytsin’s inauguration ceremony address, the FISU President highlighted the symbolism of FISU moving onto the University campus grounds.

"The biggest compliment that we have for the Synathlon is a simple but powerful one," the FISU President said. "It was only a very short time before we felt completely at home here. Home because FISU has university sport as our very essence. To look out the window and see students training and studying is a great motivation. Home because students, these leaders of tomorrow, are the reason why we exist. To come to work here is to share the optimism of students for a great future."

Joining Mr. Matytsin for the opening were top local and regional political leaders, university officials, sports administrators, and a contingent of journalists. The list of luminaries who spoke with Mr. Matytsin included three state councillors; Pascal Broulist, Cesla Amarelle and Philippe Leuba; and the University of Lausanne Rector, Nouria Hernandez.

The official ceremony was the capstone event that put to end to a seven-year period of transition as FISU moved its base of operations from Brussels to Lausanne. FISU Secretary General-CEO Eric Saintrond and authorities from the Canton of Vaud began conceptualising the project back in 2010.

In 2012, FISU moved its sports operations and part of its administrative, financial and marketing teams to the nearby Maison du Sport while also maintaining part of its administrative department, and its development, education, and media teams in Brussels until late 2017.

"It was certainly a bold gamble to unite all the organisations involved in sport and education under the Synathlon roof, but it is one that’s already paying dividends," Mr. Saintrond said. "As part of this centre of excellence, FISU is even better suited to promote the concept of dual career athletes.

"Students and employees work and learn in an environment that is beneficial to elite athletes, to help them improve their sporting, intellectual and leadership prowess," Mr. Saintrond added.

"Since FISU’s inception in 1949, we have banked on a society whose leaders have been positively influenced by an athletic career while also pursuing higher education. Today, we are in an even better position to help young people realise this ambition."

25 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is www.aroundtherings.com, for subscribers only