Sergei Stepashin: "Kazan will be ready for Universiade one year before it"

Provided the construction of sports facilities for the Universiade 2013 in Kazan will continue at the same pace, the city will be ready to host it one year before the event, told journalists the Russian Audit Chamber chairman Sergei Stepashin who came to Tatarstan’s capital to attend the Russia A Sports Power forum.

Sergei Stepashin toured the Academy of Tennis, Zilant sports centre, Universiade village and Ak Bars Single Combat Palace venues. After the visit to the latter venue, the audit chamber chief talked to journalists. Sergei Stepashin noted that he had not yet inspected related documents but had seen for himself how quickly the work was being done.

"I was here last summer. Then, in the place of the Academy of Tennis there were a small wooden fence and a shed. In the place of the Universiade village, there was nothing as well, but now there is a whole range of buildings, to be completed by the end of the year," he said. "What I saw today means the programme is being fulfilled. It is pleasing that the federal budget has fully fulfilled its obligations, despite the crisis, and Russia’s Audit Chamber provides stringent control here. The local budget has fulfilled its obligations to the full extent as well," noted the head auditor.

He considers engaging local construction companies amid the crisis and increased unemployment to be a sound move. A total of about 7 thousand people are working at the construction, which helps partially alleviate the unemployment problem. Sergei Stepashin went on to say the revival of the construction teams practice was a positive fact as well.

"Most importantly, after the Universiade is over, none of the facilities, unlike in Sochi, where some of the facilities will have to be relocated to other regions, will be abandoned," Stepashin stressed. The sports sites will be used to promote mass sports and physical training in the republic, large sporting events will be held here.

The Audit Chamber’s head said an agreement had been reached with the Tatarstan Audit Chamber on holding a joint meeting in Kazan, for an in-depth discussion of the related issues.

The Universiade village construction is scheduled to be completed in October 2012. The village will include 4 residential buildings, a training stadium, gyms and fitness centres, restaurants, a service zone, a medical centre, international information centre, amenity block, hotel and much more. The total space of the residential area will be 285 thousand square metres, providing accommodation for over 10 thousand sportsmen, delegation members and personnel. After the Universiade, the village will be used as a modern campus and a training centre for sportsmen. By the year’s end, about 75 square metres will be put in operation.

The Single Combat Palace is built on a space of 2.7 hectares, while its total area is about 17 thousand square metres. The main arena with 4 mats for various single combats seating 3 thousand spectators takes about 9.5 thousand square metres. Gyms, fitness halls and a swimming pool for athletes’s recreation are located on a space of about 5 thousand square metres. The construction of the palace cost 930 million roubles.

The construction of the Zilant sports complex began a year ago. The oil producer Tatneft was the investor of Universiade 2013’s first sports venue, where the World Volleyball Student Games’s group stage will be held. The investor allocated 360 million roubles for the Zilant centre. The land plot where the sports facility is situated is 10 thousand square metres, while the construction is 4 thousand square metres. The gym seats one thousand viewers; the roofed skating rink is 58 by 28 metres. The facility is equipped with a weight room and a gym. Ice hockey and figure skating circles for children and teenagers will be active in Zilant. During the Universiade 2013, volleyball competitions will take place here.

The Kazan Academy of Tennis is one of the largest sports venues, hosting the World Summer Universiade 2013 competitions. The academy is adjacent to the village. Its total area is 85 thousand square metres. The construction was launched on August 29, 2007. The academy has 8 indoor courts and 18 outdoor courts with various surfacing. The stands seat 3 thousand spectators. It will host both competitions and trainings of the young tennis players. They will be accommodated in the Uinversiade.