The word "Universiade" is derived from the words "university" and "Olympiad", meaning the student Olympics.
History
The Fédération Internationale de Sport Universitaire (FISU) was formally established in 1949, but its origins lie in the 1920s, when the Frenchman Jean Petitjean organized the first World Student Games in May 1923 in Paris. In May 1923, Frenchman Jean Petitjean organized the first World Student Games in Paris. This gave birth to the International Confederation of Students (I.C.S.), which held its congress in Warsaw, Poland. Several delegations participated and initiated this line of activity. From 1925 to 1939, the students and the I.C.S. organized a number of important sports events: Prague, Czechoslovakia, in 1925, Rome, Italy, in 1927, and later in Paris, Darmstadt, Germany, in 1930, Turin, Italy, in 1933, Budapest, Hungary, in 1935, Paris, in 1937, and Morocco, in 1939. Morocco. World War II interrupted these congresses, but when peace was restored, France re-initiated the World University Games.
Peace was relative, as the specter of the Cold War soon divided university sports. few Western countries participated in 1949, although the International Students Union (I.S.U.) organized the games. The International University Sports Federation (FISU), born a year earlier in Luxembourg, officially launched and organized its first International Week of University Sports and brought together Western delegations. It is worth noting that these games were held in Merano, Italy (1949), Luxembourg (1951), Dortmund, Germany (1953) and San Sebastian, Spain (1955). By 1957, the French had organized the World University Sports Championships, which brought together students from the East and West camps.
The Games gave rise to the idea of organizing a global event in which students from all over the world could participate, and in 1959 FISU and I.S.U. agreed to take part in the Games organized by the Italians in Turin: C.U.S.I. The idea of organizing a global event in which students from all over the world could participate was born. Undoubtedly that year people were very impressed with the Association. In fact the Italian organizers named these 1959 games Universiade and created a flag with a star around the "U", which would open the way for the whole world to change the national anthems of the countries in the prize-giving ceremonies to the "International Student Song". The World University Games in Turin were a success not only for the local organizers, but also for Dr. Primo Nebiolo, who would change the future of university sports. The Universiade welcomed 1,400 athletes from 43 countries, and many non-member associations requested FISU membership.
While college sports eventually brought everyone together in peace, a tentative structure had to be put in place. In addition to establishing protocols regarding national symbols (neither the flag nor the national anthem are raised) and procedures, FISU defined itself and its philosophy in the second paragraph, stating, "FISU pursues its goals without regard to or discrimination against politics, religion or race." Since then, FISU has organized competitions worldwide.
From this momentous time onwards, the World University Games have continued to attract increasing numbers of participants. The total number of athletes competing has ranged from 1,407 (including 985 student-athletes) in Turin in 1959 to 6,009 (including 4,076 student-athletes) from more than 125 countries in Palma de Mallorca (Spain) in 1999.
The Winter World University Games had the same success. In fact, statistics show that 98 athletes took part in the 1958 World University Games in en:Zell am See, Australia, and 1,007 athletes from 41 countries took part in the 2001 World University Games in en:Zakopane, Poland.
Championships
In order to expand university sports around the world, it was necessary to create games to complete the World University Games program. Thus, from the early 1960s FISU also oversaw the World University Championships.
These championships, which were held in even-numbered years, became more and more successful as the years passed, maintaining the continuity of the program. It also gave many student-athletes and top college athletes a chance to meet outside of the Big Game.
Emblazon and flag
The Italian University Sports Center (CUSI) produced the emblem for the 1959 World University Games, although the original star curved around the base of the U. The emblem is the same as the one used for the 1959 World University Games.
FISU has recently improved the design of its emblem to increase the coherence of the emblem at FISU events. The emblem consists of the letter "U" printed in black on a white background, centered on more than 5 stars divided into two rows. The top three stars are, from left to right: blue, black and red, while the bottom two stars are yellow and green, in line with the five Olympic rings. The black 'FISU' logo is in the center, below the stars.
The FISU flag is white, with the FISU logo in the center of the flag.
Structure
FISU consists of the General Assembly, which represents the membership (134 National Collegiate Athletic Unions). It is the main administrative entity of the organization. It elects a quadrennial Executive Committee, which makes all the decisions that keep FISU running smoothly. Ten lifetime members advise the executive committee in their areas of expertise to streamline its duties.
The current president of FISU is George. Killian.
Conferences
The FISU Conference, held in conjunction with the World University Games, conducts sociological research and scientific studies that complement the athletic aspect, demonstrating the need to bring sports and college spirit together. The FISU conference, also known as the "Symposium on University Sports", deals with topics related to different aspects of sports and physical education.
Forum
Like the World University Games, the Forum Conference is a biennial event, and through the Forum Symposium, FISU hopes to provide students and university athletic officials with the opportunity to meet regularly to discuss topics related to education, culture, and sport.
In fact, the Forum Symposium will be held every two years, staggered with the World University Games, in a different location each time.