By Duncan Mackay at Dolce La Hulpe Brussels Hotel


FISU secretary general Eric Saintrond at the Attribution Ceremony of the 2019 Summer and Winter UniversiadesNovember 9 - Brasilia and Krasnoyarsk in Russia were officially awarded the 2019 Summer and Winter Universiades here tonight after both were left as the only bidders for their events.



As revealed exclusively on insidethegames, Brasilia's last rival, Budapest, had dropped out yesterday following the withdrawal last month of Baku.


Krasnoyarsk, Siberia's third largest city, had been the only bidder for the Winter Universiade since Swiss candidate Valais had pulled out in September.


But that did not stop either delegation from investing heavily in its presentations.


Both were represented by their country's Sports Ministers, Russia's Vitaly Mutko and Brazil's Aldo Rebelo, flying in specially for the event.


Lev Kuznetsov, the Governor of the Krasnoyarsk region, Claude-Louis Gallien, FISU President, Vitaly Mutko, Sports Minister of Russia, Oleg Matytsin, FISU first vice-president, celebrate being awarded the 2019 Winter UniversiadeLev Kuznetsov, Governor of the Krasnoyarsk region, Claude-Louis Gallien, FISU President, Vitaly Mutko, Russian Sports Minister, Oleg Matytsin, FISU first vice-president, celebrate being awarded the 2019 Winter Universiade


For Russia it will be a fitting end to its "Decade of Sport" which will also have included the 2014 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Sochi and the 2018 FIFA World Cup, as well as the Summer Universiade in Kazan earlier this year.


It will be the first time that Russia has hosted the Winter Universiade, which has been held since 1960.


"There are already a large number of athletes in the city of Krasnoyarsk, and now we hope to welcome students from all around the world," said Mutko.


"The development of the youth and sport is of major importance for the government of the city. This is why we believe that Krasnoyarsk will successfully host the 2019 Universiade."


Brazil, meanwhile, will have staged three of the biggest events on the sporting calendar in a six-year period as Brasilia 2019 will follow the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympics and Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro.


It will be the first time they have been staged in Brazil since 1963 when they took place in Porto Alegre, when 713 athletes competed in nine sport.


But these Games, which is expected to attract nearly 11,000 athletes competing in 27 sports and will cost the Brazilian capital €736 million (£616 million/$986 million), comes at a time when there has been a backlash in the country at the price of staging these mega-events.


Angelo Queiroz, the Governor of the Federal District of Brasilia, is confident that the awarding of the event will be greeted warmly, however.


"The Summer Universiade represents an important opportunity to promote university sport in Brazil," he said.


His confidence was backed by Rebelo.


"Brazil has a long-standing tradition of university sport and I am convinced that Brasilia will organise an outstanding Universiade," he said.


Luciano Cabral, President of the Brazilian University Sports Confederation, Aldo Rebelo, Brazil's Sports Minister, and Angelo Queiroz, Governor of the Federal District of Brasilia, celebrate the capital being awarded the 2019 Summer UniversiadeLuciano Cabral, President of the Brazilian University Sports Confederation, Aldo Rebelo, Brazil's Sports Minister, and Angelo Queiroz, Governor of the Federal District of Brasilia, celebrate the capital being awarded the 2019 Summer Universiade


FISU tried to gloss over at the Attribution Ceremony that there was only bidder for each event.


President Claude-Louis Gallien claimed he was nevertheless delighted with the choices they were forced to make.


"Siberia represents the future of Europe," he said.


"Moreover, this region is part of a country - Russia - that banks a lot on the association of sport and education.


"As for Brazil, it is back on stage after a long absence.


"Attributing the Games to Brasilia will allow us to implement a development policy for sport and education not only in Brazil, but also throughout South America."


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