Germany Solidifies Bid for 2025 Summer Universiade

(ATR) The Summer Universiade 2025 could take place in North Rhine-Westphalia again.

The state government in Düsseldorf, the federal government and the German Olympic Sports Federation (DOSB) support the General German University Association in its bid to host the World Student Sports Games on the Rhine and Ruhr. The Universiade took place in Germany for the only time in 1989 with Duisburg as the host.

"This would be an outstanding showcase for Germany as a sports location and an opportunity to present Germany as a sport-loving, hospitable country and excellent host of major sports events," said Federal Minister of the Interior Horst Seehofer (CSU).

NRW Prime Minister Armin Laschet wants to use the Universiade as a stepping stone for the Olympics.

"Hosting the Universiade 2025 in North Rhine-Westphalia would be another important building block on the way to the Olympic and Paralympic Games 2032 on the Rhine and Ruhr - there is no better way to hold a rehearsal".

The cities currently planned as the venues are Bochum, Düsseldorf, Duisburg, Essen, Krefeld and Mülheim.

"We are very pleased that this bid has the full support of the federal government and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. We regard this support as an important requirement for an application for a major international sporting event," said DOSB President Alfons Hörmann.

Budapest, Hungary has also shown interest in hosting the 2025 Summer Universiade.A decision on the host city is to be made in spring 2021.

The next two editions of the Summer World University Games are scheduled for Chengdu, China in August 2021 and Ekaterinburg, Russia in August 2023.

A citizen survey to gauge support of a Rhine-Ruhr 2032 Olympic bid is expected in the next year. So far, Australia, India, Indonesia and Qatar have joined Germany in the quest for the 2032 Games. A joint Korean bid is also still a possibility as is another attempt from Madrid, Spain.

Written by Heinz Peter Kreuzer

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