World University Games in Chengdu Postponed to 2022

Photo Courtesy: Andy Ross

The World University Games have been postponed until 2022, the Fédération Internationale du Sport Universitaire (FISU) announced on Friday.

The World University Games were supposed to open in about four months, but have been postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Switzerland-based Fédération Internationale du Sport Universitaire said COVID-19 and travel restrictions caused the postponement. The group announced that the decision was made jointly with Chinese officials.

The World University Games features about 8,000 athletes, was to have opened in Chengdu in western China on Aug. 18, just days after the closing of the Tokyo Olympics.

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The rescheduled starting date has not been announced.

China has two other large multisport events coming up. The Winter Olympics open on Feb. 4, 2022, in Beijing, and the Asian Games, which feature more sports than the Olympics, are set for Hangzhou from Sept. 10, 2022.

Swimming is one of the top sports at the World University Games and has been a springboard for athletes to reach elite international competition.

According to the AP, China has become the go-to nation for many of these mega-events because it pays the costs, builds venues quickly and does not need voter approval, a hurdle that is common in many European countries.

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