Following the global COVID-19
Coronavirus outbreak however,
and with the health and safety
of all EUG2020 participants
the primary concern, it was
decided in March 2020 that the
fifth edition of the European
Universities Games would be
postponed by a year. While
this may have partly disrupted
preparations for the event which
was set to take place in July
2020, EUSA together with the
EUG2020 Organising Committee
have remained committed to
the organisation of what is still
set to be the biggest European
university sports event of the
year.
Belgrade is no stranger to
hosting elite sporting events,
even at university sport level,
having hosted the 2009 FISU
Summer Universiade, and will
now add the EUG2020 onto their
impressive list, which includes
the World Volleyball League
Finals, the World Kickboxing
Championships and the men and
women’s European Water Polo
Championships, to name but a
few.
Led by an experienced Organising
Committee across a range of
sectors, the hosts of the fifth
European Universities Games are
aiming for this to be the biggest
event in the competition’s history,
with over 5 500 participants
expected to descend upon the
confluence of the Rivers Sava
and Danube to showcase their
sporting prowess.
With a population of close to
two million people, Belgrade is a
bubbling metropolis with an array
of impressive sporting facilities
that student-athletes at Belgrade
2021 will have the privilege
of playing in, not least the 20
000-seater Stark Arena, which
will host what will surely be a
spectacular opening ceremony.
Others include the 5000-seater
Sport Hall Ranko Zeravica, which
has facilities for basketball,
volleyball and handball; KSC
Pinki, which can host futsal,
basketball, volleyball, handball
and kickboxing, as well as Tennis
Center Novak, named after
Serbia’s world-famous tennis star
Novak Djokovic, which boasts
seven high class tennis courts.A total of 19 sporting disciplines,
as well as competition for
athletes with disabilities, will be
on show at EUG Belgrade 2020.
They are: Badminton, Basketball,
3x3 Basketball, Beach Handball,
Beach Volleyball, Chess,
Football, Futsal, Handball, Judo,
Para Judo, Karate, Kickboxing,
Orienteering, Rowing, Table
Tennis, Para Table Tennis,
Taekwondo, Tennis, Volleyball
and Water Polo.Almost 1 000 volunteers and
over 800 referees will be present
in Belgrade, while interestingly,
an exact total of 2020 medals
will be awarded throughout the
Games.Participants and attendees of
the event will not only enjoy a
wide variety of summer sporting
competitions, yet will also be
able to involve themselves in
educational and social aspects
of university sport in Europe,
with conferences, exhibitions
and workshops discussing the
topics of Anti-Doping, Inclusion,
Dual Career, as well as a Rectors’
Conference, taking place.Student-athletes, officials and
invited guests will also have the
chance to enjoy the rich, historic
and cultural offerings the city of
Belgrade has to offer, while being
hosted in numerous top-quality
accommodation venues in close
proximity to the sports centres.134 / 135
PLEASE SEE
http://www.eug2020.eu
for more information