NCOC ANNOUNCES SUCCESSFUL FISU SITE VISIT of the TECHNICAL COMMITTEE CHAIRS

The bottom line is that this visit helps us get to about 90% certainty on our proposed venues for the FISU Games, which is significant progress at this stage in the preparations for the big event.”

— Hill Carrow, CEO of World University Games

CARY, NC, UNITED STATES, May 21, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The 15-day site visit to North Carolina USA to review proposed venues and provide extensive detail on specific sports operations for the 2029 FISU World University Games concluded today. The visit was led by the FISU Summer Games executives of the International University Sports Federation (FISU), which is based in Lausanne, Switzerland, the Olympic City. That team is headed by Jing Zhao, FISU Games Director – Summer; and includes Brian Carrer, Senior
Sports Manager; Josh Miethke, Sports Manager; and Lara Bernassi, Sports Manager. The visit featured site inspections, technical seminars, and individual sports meetings led by FISU’s Sport Technical Committee Chairs (TCCs).

There were 18 TCC’s involved representing 15 different countries. Sport reviews covered virtually all of the 18 sports included in the 2029 FISU World University Games plus the Para Sport of 3x3 Wheelchair Basketball. Jing Zhao, FISU’s Director of FISU World University Games, said, “The initial visit of the Technical Committee Chairs is an important milestone in the planning for, and development of, the FISU World University Games. The TCCs are the technical experts in their respective sports, and they are able to share great knowledge and insights into the planning, setup, and operations of those sports leading into, and during, the FISU Games. In particular, they are able to work with the Local Organizing Committee for the FISU Games to determine the necessary venues and venue configurations to best deliver their sport at event-time. The extensive shared sport learnings, more than 3 years in advance of the FISU Games, can greatly assist the event host organization in ensuring the most efficient and effective delivery of the sports of the 2029 FISU Games.”

The visiting sport executives were as follows: Maki Nakano of Japan (Archery), Vadim Nigmatov of Tijikistan (Athletics/Track & Field), Steve Butcher of the United States (Artistic Gymnastics), Bastian Kruse of Germany (Badminton), Ulf Oehrman of Sweden (Basketball), Eric Brooker of Australia (Diving), Julius Kralic of Slovakia (Fencing), Maksims Raspopovs of Latvia (Football/Soccer), Josef Zellweger of Switzerland (Rhythmic Gymnastics), Patrick Drid of Serbia (Judo), Deidre O’Sullivan of Ireland (Rugby 7s), Tom Baster of Great Britain (Swimming), Andrzej Hrehorowicz of Poland (Table

Tennis), Russell Ahn of the United States (Taekwondo), Nao Kawatei of Japan (Tennis), Melanie Sanford of Canada (Volleyball), Michael Goldenberg of the United States (Water Polo), and Luc Vergoosen of the Netherlands (3x3 Wheelchair Basketball). Hill Carrow, Chairman & CEO of the North Carolina Organizing Committee (NCOC) for the 2029 FISU World University Games had this to say, “While it involves a great deal of work and tremendous support and cooperation among our venues, universities, local sport executives, and communities to host 22 senior sport executives from around the world on a dawn-to-dusk schedule for 15 days in a row, everyone pulled together extremely well and truly demonstrated the extensive assets, experience, and good ole Southern hospitality of Team North Carolina. Both FISU and their technical committee chairs were very impressed with not only our sport venues, but also our universities, and our local sport and community representatives. They also frequently commented on how much they like how “green” North Carolina is. The bottom line is that this visit helps us get to about 90% certainty on our proposed venues for the FISU Games, which is significant progress at this stage in the preparations for the big event.”

FISU’s next visit is scheduled for November of 2026, at which time FISU executives are expecting to be accompanied by the TCC’s for Baseball and Softball.

About the 2029 FISU World University Games: The 2029 FISU World University Games will include over 10,000 participants from more than 100 countries representing over 600 universities competing in 18 Olympic sports. The Games take place during 12 days in July of 2029 (July 11-22, 2029) at up to 40 venues that could stretch from Raleigh to Charlotte, NC. The Games were awarded by FISU, the International University Sports Federation, to North Carolina USA and will be centered in North Carolina’s University Hub region which includes the host communities of central North Carolina as well as 16 host universities.

2029 World University Games Partners include the State of North Carolina, Capitol Broadcasting Company, Duke Health, and Novant Health. Official Supporters are Monte Brown, Carolina Region Volleyball, Checkmate Government Relations, Duke University, Durham County, Galloway Ridge at Fearrington, Hannah Sheridan & Cochran, Hummingbird Creative Group, Joseph M. Bryan Foundation, Maynard Nexsen, Nan Hannah, Priam Properties, Research Triangle Park, RTI International, Smedes York Family, Sports & Properties, Inc., the Stan Campbell Family, Stuart Law Firm, The Cemala Foundation, Temple Sloan Family Foundation, The Team, Triangle Sports Commission, and the W. Trent Ragland Jr. Foundation. The 2029 World University Games will be the largest event ever held in North Carolina and will present a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to showcase the state to a worldwide broadcast audience of up to 300 million. For more information about the 2029 Games, visit www.ncusa2029wug.com.

About the North Carolina Organizing Committee: Located in Cary, North Carolina, the North Carolina Organizing Committee (NCOC) is the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the 2029 FISU World University Games. NCOC is a North Carolina charitable (501c3) non-profit corporation. The LOC has the responsibility for planning, developing, organizing, and executing the 2029 Games in the central North Carolina (Piedmont) region of the state. The NCOC is affiliated with, and supported by, the Triangle Sports Commission, which primarily serves Wake, Durham, and Orange Counties, but also hosts events in Guilford and Alamance Counties in North Carolina. The primary goals of the NCOC are to host one of the best World University Games ever, with a great participant experience being the primary barometer; and to showcase North Carolina and the communities and universities that comprise its central University Hub region, to the world. For more information on NCOC, visit www.ncusa2029wug.com.

Hill Carrow
World University Games
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