The main aim of the visit was to gain an overview of the current state of planning and to discuss numerous aspects relating to the organisation of the athletics competitions. The most important topics of discussion included the construction work at the venue, the competition schedule, transport, logistics, accommodation for athletes and officials and many other subjects.
“Athletics is the biggest and most complex sport of the FISU Games which requires involvement of many different areas and thorough planning and preparation,” explained Vadim Nigmatov, FISU Substitute Technical Committee Chair. “Our task is to ensure that the FISU Games provide the best possible conditions for the participating delegations.”
The visit to Lohrheide began with a tour of the running track, continued to the facilities of the Olympic Training Centre and ended with an insight into the inner rooms of the West Tribune. The team, consisting of sports and venue managers, was able to see the positive progress made in the construction of numerous multi-purpose rooms: Among other things, the future offices of the competition managers, the timing & scoring team, changing rooms, physio rooms and press areas were inspected.
Ms Ute Feinweber, Project Manager at the Department of Sport and Exercise of the City of Bochum, who is responsible for the construction project, made this beneficial tour possible and accompanied the FISU delegation.
On the second day, the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 team held further internal meetings in the organising committee's offices and provided deeper insights into the current planning. The FISU International Technical Committee was positive and confident: "There are some areas where we need to move faster, but overall the planning of the event is going well. We are satisfied with what we have seen and heard," emphasised Vadim Nigmatov.
The direct exchange and on-site meetings are crucial as they help to define the next steps and agree on the main focus areas. “We provided several specific technical recommendations. However, it is important to note that the Organising Committee has a great team of knowledgeable experts capable of planning and delivering the FISU Games at the highest possible level,” added Nigmatov.