14th January 2022

JOINT STATEMENT REGARDING THE 2022 WORLD UNIVERSITY SUMMER GAMES

After reviewing the current year’s championship calendar and demands on all concerned, it has been decided not to send a team to the World University Summer Games in 2022. The original Championships were initially scheduled for 2021 in China but due to Covid challenges they were postponed until 2022. This has caused many logistical problems for everyone involved and added to the hectic championship calendar this year.

The World University Games Team is staffed and operated by the home countries in conjunction with BUCS and UK Athletics (UKA). UKA work closely with all of the home countries and major University stakeholders for athletics and feel that due to the vastly increased costs to the athletes (athletes predominantly self-fund these championships and current estimates are over £6000 per athlete) and the logistically difficult transportation issues, combined with all of the recent Covid related issues it is prudent to not attend this year but to start planning for the next Games in Russia in 2023.

Team leader Spencer Duval (England Athletics) will be working closely with BUCS (British Universities & College Sports https://www.bucs.org.uk ) to plan and facilitate a team for 2023. All queries about the 2023 Championships should be addressed to sduval@englandathletics.org