IOC President Thomas Bach right and FISU President Oleg Matytsin left discussed the potential for even closer cooperation between the two organisations ©FISU

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach has met with his International University Sports Federation (FISU) counterpart Oleg Matytsin to discuss the potential for closer cooperation between the organisations.

The meeting, held at the IOC’s headquarters in Lausanne, came four months after Matytsin’s election as president of FISU.

Matytsin detailed the progress made by the organisation since he took over in November, after unseating Frenchman Claude-Louis Gallien, including providing a report on the key outcomes of FISU’s Executive Committee meeting earlier this month.

It included the decision to name Lucerne as the hosts of the 2021 Winter Universiade, with the Swiss city having been the sole bidder.

The Executive Committee also opted to lower the maximum age of participation at FISU-owned sport events from 28 to 25, as well as discussions about developing further educational programmes for young sports leaders and volunteers.

Following the meeting, Bach expressed his belief that university sport is “hugely important” and praised FISU’s progress in aiming to align the organisation with the IOC’s Agenda 2020 roadmap.

“Having competed in two Universiades myself in Moscow 1973 and in Mexico City 1979, I know that University sport encourages students to pursue excellence in mind, body and lifestyle making it a great tool for developing future leaders in society," he said.

“Under the Presidency of Oleg Matytsin FISU has made great progress particularly in relation to adopting the recommendations of our reform programme Olympic Agenda 2020.

“FISU is a strong and reliable partner for the IOC and I hope that we will increase the mutual cooperation between our organisations over the next four years.”

Thomas Bach was invited to attend a ceremony of the laying of the first stone at FISU's new headquarters, which will be finished in 2017
Thomas Bach was invited to attend a ceremony of the laying of the first stone at FISU's new headquarters in Lausanne, which is due to be finished in 2017 ©FISU

The meeting was attended by FISU secretary general and chief executive Eric Saintrond and the IOC’s head of sport partnerships and coordination Jenny Mann.

Matytsin also invited Bach to attend the ceremony on April 20 of the laying the first stone at FISU’s new headquarters, which is being built at the campus of the University of Lausanne.

The IOC President was also invited to attend the 2017 Winter Universiade in Almaty, while Bach asked FISU to participate in the celebrations around the United Nations' International Day of Sport for Development and Peace on April 6.

“I am very grateful to President Bach for his strong words of encouragement and his intention for the IOC to engage even more with FISU’s initiatives and events,” Matytsin said.

“FISU’s mission is to act for the health and wellbeing of students around the world and thereby help them to become tomorrow’s leaders, the IOC’s support for our work is greatly received.

“At FISU we are placing Olympic Agenda 2020 at the heart of all our thinking and decision-making.

“For example, at our recent Executive Committee meeting we voted to further refine our bidding procedure for Universiades to ensure we are completely in line with Olympic Agenda 2020.”