Universiade Commissioner Gianluca
Basile said in an interview with Naples daily Il Mattino on
Tuesday that the opening ceremony for the World University Games
in July will be "an Olympic-style ceremony" at the city's San
Paolo Stadium.
Basile said top players from American universities will
participate in the Universiade in basketball and volleyball.
"The Italian Soccer Federation (FIGC) has promised to send a
competitive (Italy) team in football. We have decided that the
women's basketball final will take place at the PalaBarbuto
complex.
"The Federnuoto swimming federation is expected to enter
(1,500 freestyle world and Olympic champion) Gregorio
Paltrinieri, which wouldn't be bad," Basile said.
"Federcalcio, the football federation, is giving us a big
hand. We're also dreaming of involving Meret, who is a
university student, but we well know that it isn't easy for
top-level clubs to loan their players in that period of the
year," he said, referring to Alex Meret, goalkeeper for SSC
Napoli, currently the number two team in Serie A standings.
Basile said another dream Universiade athlete would be
Italian record-holding sprinter Filippo Tortu.
"His presence would have extraordinary symbolic value because
Pietro Mennea, exactly 40 years ago at the Summer Universiade in
Mexico City, established the amazing world record in the 200
metres, the 19.72 seconds time that held for 17 years until
Michael Johnson broke it," Basile said.
Basile said details for the opening ceremony still need to be
worked out, but he promised a "spectacular show".
"It will obviously be smaller than the actual Olympics, but
similar in idea," Basile said.
ß Regarding delays, Basile told Il Mattino that after initial
uncertainties, "CONI believed in us, as did the Region of
Campania and the City of Naples".
He said the events will be broadcast on satellite TV but that
"we're also counting on Raisport", referring to Italy's national
broadcaster.
He said sponsors will "provide uniforms and an agency that
will take care of sponsorships", and that a campaign to recruit
volunteers will begin on Tuesday.
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