Augustin was part of a FISU delegation which also featured Winter Universiade executive assistant Jiho Kim and assistant Paola Forni.

Also present was Laurent Briel, director of development and National University Sports Federations (NUSF) relations, as well as education services director Kole Gjeloshaj and transfer of knowledge manager Lilia Barieva.

During their stay in Almaty, the delegates checked the readiness of the 2017 Winter Universiade venues and reviewed the work of the Organising Committee. 

Almaty 2017 presented its progress reports and discussed several issues with the delegates regarding the operation of different functional areas, such as sports and venues management, the Athletes’ Village and transportation. 

"Within the last three months, the Organising Committee has made a lot of progress towards the preparation of the Winter Universiade; mainly in setting up a concrete action plan of the organisation," said Augustin.

"The organisation was enforced with young and enthusiastic people who devote their time for holding a successful Winter Universiade 2017.

"Nevertheless, it is necessary to mention that there are a lot more tasks ahead, which must be accomplished to achieve the readiness of the sport venues and also to finalise the business partners for a number of services following the FISU requirements.

"We all hope that these vacancies will be very soon covered by the Organising Committee for the success of this national project."

Asset Abdualiyev, general director of Almaty 2017, thanked FISU for its recommendations on the organisation of the event, which is scheduled to take place from January 28 to February 8.

"One year is left before the start of the 2017 Winter Universiade in Almaty," he said. 

"Now all Government institutions of Kazakhstan are involved in the preparation of the international competitions.

"There is a Supervisory Board chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister of RK Dariga Nazarbayeva.

"There is a full support from the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and also from the Almaty City Administration led by the Mayor of Almaty City, Bauyrzhan Baibek.

"We are sure that with the assistance of FISU and assistance of the state agencies, all organisational issues on hosting the 2017 Winter Universiade in Almaty will be solved."

Some 30,000 tourists are expected in Almaty to witness the 2017 Winter Universiade, which will be organised with the help of 3,000 volunteers. 

The Almaty City Government claims the total budget for the Games is around $46 million (£31.7 million/€41.2 million) and that they will be held at eight different locations.

The Ice Arena is reportedly on schedule with the warm-up skating rink, in the 3,000 seater venue, expected to be completed by March 22.

Work on the main arena and the administrative building, which will host ice hockey, and the improvement of public services at the venue, has been scheduled to draw to a close on July 6.

The Ice Palace, which will boast 12,000 seats, has already had its administrative building, basin area and warm-up skating rink completed.

Construction is expected to be completely finished on May 9, with the venue due to stage both the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, as well as skating.

Organisers hope each of the Universiade venues will be finished by August 30, prior to their opening next year as part of Almaty’s millennial anniversary.

The anniversary has been added to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) list of special dates, with the new sporting facilities described in Almaty as being a "heritage for the next generations of the Kazakh city’s residents".