Exhibition presenting Universiade 2013 opens in State Duma

Attendees were President of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, and Tatarstan State Council chairman, Farid Mukhametshin. Present were Russian Olympic Committee president, Alexander Zhukov, Olympic champion, Vladislav Tretiak, three-time Olympic champion and Universiade 2013 ambassador, Maria Kiseleva, and others.

Speaking at the opening, R. Minnikhanov thanked the MPs for assistance in the run-up to the games, enhancing that Universiade was more than a Tatarstan-run project but a large federal project, whose success could greatly contribute to the country’s international image.

“Preparing for Universiade is a very serious task. Of course, it is not easy for us but we are going to complete the construction of three metro stations and an Aquatic Sports Palace in March. One thing left is the 45-thousand-seat football stadium but there are no doubts all the facilities will be completed in time,” R. Minnikhanov said.

Russian Olympic Committee president, Alexander Zhukov, noted the number of games participants would triple that of the Sochi Olympics. “Universiade means both mass and career student sport, and it is a project contributing to the sports image and allowing to build an infrastructure – for sport, for the city, best stadiums,” he added.