Updates were given for the 2022 European Universities Games in Lodz ©Lodz 2022

Upcoming editions of the European Universities Games were the focus as the European University Sports Association (EUSA) held a virtual meeting with secretary generals of member associations.

The next edition of the European Universities Games is scheduled to take place in Lodz in Poland next year.

EUSA secretary general Matjaz Pecovnik provided a general update to member associations at the meeting, giving information about the upcoming registration process.

Registration for the Games will officially open on December 15.

The EUSA said the sport programme and competitions schedule for the Games has been confirmed, while the organisation provided an update regarding COVID-19 vaccinations and participation at the Games.

A National University Sports Association visit is planned to take place from May 16 to 18 next year.

The Games are due to be held from July 17 to 30 in 2022.

Lodz, Poland’s third-biggest city, will host the fifth edition of the Games, which first launched in 2012.

Belgrade had been due to host the Games in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced the event to be pushed back to 2021 and the EUSA was forced to cancel the event in May.

There had been hope that the Serbian capital would be able to organise the Games at a later date.

Participation in the Games and vaccinations were among the topics discussed at the meeting ©EUSA
Participation in the Games and vaccinations were among the topics discussed at the meeting ©EUSA

The EUSA secretary general’s meeting also saw discussions over the 2023 European Universities Championships and the 2024 European Universities Games in Debrecen-Miskolc.

The bid process for the 2025 European Universities Championships and the 2026 European Universities Games were also topics on the agenda, with the EUSA due to pick the 2026 host in March.

An inspection visit was made last month to Salerno, with the Italian city confirmed as a bidder for the event.

Pecovnik also presented updates on the main challenges faced by the EUSA during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as highlighted engagement in several projects funded by the European Union and the International University Sports Federation (FISU).

EUSA President Adam Roczek and acting FISU President Leonz Eder also addressed the virtual meeting.

Eder thanked member associations for their support following the decision to cancel this month’s Winter Universiade in Lucerne.

The event in the Swiss city suffered a late cancellation after national COVID-19 restrictions were tightened in response to the Omicron variant.