Claude-Louis Gallien, first vice president of FISU
IN the memory of the Claude-Louis Gallien now first vice president of the of International University Sports Federation FISU the year 1967 in Tokyo was an unforgettable experience for his whole life.
In that year Gallien then a 25-year-old university athlete attended the Universiade in Tokyo and won a medal as a finalist in hammer throwing in Tokyo Summer Universiade in front of 15,000 audiences.
“It is a dream for a university student to attend the Games” said Gallien 65 now also professor at the Laboratory of Neurobiology Developmental Biology and Muscular Differentiation of Paris Descartes University.
“After that game in Tokyo I showed my lifelong interest and involved in Universiade activities” Gallien said at an interview Saturday afternoon after his arrival to the Shenzhen at Wuzhou Guest House to attend the fifth Generally Assembly of the Asian University Sports Federation.
In the university the students can not only see a professor in laboratory but a sports enthusiast in gym. The students can discuss biological issues with Gallien while they were running around the field and Gallien often had his physical education lessons in classrooms.
This is Gallien’s first official visit to Shenzhen. Previously he visited to the city as an observer when the city was preparing bidding for the 26th Summer Universiade last November.
“I think Shenzhen will give the best Games in Universiade’s history because it is a city of young people who want to show the best of Shenzhen to the outside of the world” said Gallien.
“I didn’t know Shenzhen until last November” said Gallien adding the Universiade will greatly improve the city’s international image.
“It is not easy to be the best and win to host the Universiade because other bidding cities are also very strong”Gallien recalled the days in January when FISU directors to vote the hosting city.
In his tight-scheduled visit last November Gallien as an observer of the bidding cities found something important for France to learn from Shenzhen.
“It is a brilliant ideas to establish a Virtual University a center of excellence which attracted best teachers and students and research workers nationwide it shows the city’s innovation and creativity” said Gallien.
“In FISU we have an alternative whether to expand business and compete with IOC and other international sports organizations. But we should legitimate our position by really trying to develop sports as part of education and emphasis its education role as we are living in a world of competition” said Gallien.
“It doesn’t matter you win or lose because there is no a winner in life. If you lose you will be the winner next time that is a good education” said Gallien.(韩希民编译)