Russian President Vladimir Putin meets a delegation of university sports and the president of the International University Sports Federation George Killian (center) in the Kremlin.
Photo: Dmitry Azarov
| Other Photos |
 |
|
 |
Back to the Land of Youth
// Student sport officials support the Russian president’s initiative
Russian President Vladimir Putin met a delegation of the International University Sports Federation on Monday. Members of the delegation were happy to recall good old days while weighing chances of Russia’s Kazan to become the venue for the next Universiade.
Kazan has been bidding to become the capital of the next Universiade for a few months already. Vladimir Putin received the Evaluation Commission of the Universiade from the International University Sports Federation in the Kremlin yesterday.
It looked that even the youngest member of the delegation would still have problems remembering when they actually graduated from university. President of University Sports Federation George E. Killian is in his 80s. George Killian, however, is a Juan Antonio Samaranch for the university sports movement. But Samaranch is still Honorary President of the International Olympic Committee while George Killian still serves.
Killian, however, is not going to fly to Kazan Tuesdya morning with other members of the evaluation commission. He and his wife will fly to Europe together where Mrs. Killian is having a surgery. In Moscow, George Killian saw a ballet at the Bolshoi Theater and met Russian President, which is not that little, too.
In fact, I got a feeling yesterday that Killian did not need to go to Kazan. He had already made his mind.
Russian President Vladimir Putin made a small presentation of the city of Kazan in the Kremlin. He reminded that the University Games were last held in Russia in 1973.
“We believe that Kazan is the best option for an event like this,” the Russian president said. “It is situated between the East and the West in the literal meaning.”
It is hardly enough to be the best option, though. The Russian president, however, had other arguments in store.
“People of more than 100 nationalities live in Kazan,” he added.
It seemed that even after this one he could not see certainty in the eyes of the delegation that Kazan would beat Poland’s Poznan which has been contesting for the Universiade for the third time, which makes its chances even higher. Vladimir Putin finished with a truly surprising argument:
“Tatarstan is developing at an amazing pace on the backdrop of Russian economy.”
After this, it seemed there was nothing to think about. All the delegation had to do was to grab the offer of Tatarstan’s capital as long as the Russian president was willing.
But it was not all for arguments as Putin said after a pause:
“Well, finally, Kazan has recently celebrated its 1,000th anniversary!”
Yet, interactive ties with members of the evaluation commission still worked badly so Russia’s president had to think up new reasons. He added:
“Very worthy cities in Poland and China compete with Kazan.”
He then seemed to have finished that race.
“You mentioned the year 1973,” George Killian smiled and it looked like his lips creaked. “Three members of our delegation took part in those games. I am the secretary general and chief treasurer of our organization. It was the first time that we had taken so big a delegation to your country.”
Mr. Killian admitted that it was quite an extraordinary trip.
“We were young. We didn’t know what to expect,” he recollected. “We didn’t know how people would welcome us.”
But reality surpassed all expectations as it often happens. George Killian fell in love with our country then.
“Choice of Kazan looks reasonable to me,” George Killian said. “Not all members of the evaluation commission are present here, but still I hope that even if votes split half I will not have to make the tough choice myself [as the federation’s president he has two votes].
First, I thought it was unprecedented pressure on members of the commission and that even the big friend of the Soviet people Juan Antonio Samaranch has never ventured to do this kind of thing. But later I realized why George Killian said all this and I thought I don’t mind it.
He just wants to go back to his youth.
Viktor Mishin
All the Article in Russian as of Oct. 24, 2006
|
|
|
