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26 new sports facilities built for 2013 student games

New swimming-pools and skating-rinks, general-purpose sports complexes, and a rowing canal are being already used by the city folk

KAZAN, September 15 (Itar-Tass) — Twenty-six new sports facilities that are up to international standards have been built in Kazan under the programme for preparation for the 2013 World Student Games (Universiade), Tatarstan's President Rustam Minnikhanov said on Thursday in his annual address to the State Council (parliament) of the Republic.

"Within the period of preparation for the 27th World Summer Student Games (WSSG), direct investments in the development of Kazan alone will amount to more than 100,000 million rubles. As of now, 26 new facilities and complexes of WSSG Village have been put into operation," the Head of the Republic said.

New swimming-pools and skating-rinks, general-purpose sports complexes, and a rowing canal built under the project in preparation for the Games are being already used by the city folk. The WSSG Village, which is to be completed this year, is designed to accommodate up to 13,000 sportsmen and coaches.

In all, 64 facilities will function at the WSSG, with 30 of them being erected anew. The assembly of structural elements is underway at the largest construction site, that of a soccer stadium seating 35,000. The stadium will be the site for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games. Contractors are planning to put it into service in December 2012.

Tatarstan, the Head of the Republic said, has secured for itself "the status of one of domestic and world sports centers". Kazan has won the right to play host to a 2015 world water sports championship and 2018 World Soccer Cup Finals. "The heritage of international championships will become a vigorous factor in the health-building of the population and render sports accessible and popular," Minnikhanov emphasized.

The WSSG in Kazan will be held from July 6 to 17, 2013, in a record-high number of sports -- 13 compulsory and 14 additional ones. Participants will contest 341 sets of medals, which will be also a record in the history of Student Games.