At the Cabinet meeting today, Premier Lin Chuan asked the Taipei City Government and other government agencies to step up final preparations for the 2017 Universiade, coming up in Taipei from August 19 to 30.
In remarks following a report on preparations by the Ministry of Education (MOE), the premier said the 2017 Universiade will be the largest-ever and the highest-level international competition event Taiwan has hosted, with more than 10,000 athletes and team staff from 131 countries and territories expected to take part.
With only a half month to go before the big event, organizers must put comprehensive plans in place to ensure successful outcomes, and be ready for unexpected circumstances that will test Taiwan’s response capabilities. The premier also reminded the organizers to pay attention to the following:
1. Given that August is typhoon season and a month of peak energy consumption, organizers must ensure that power and communication systems at sporting venues can stand up against all conditions.
2. All details and contingency plans must be reviewed, including opening and closing ceremony preparations, traffic management, competition equipment, counterterrorism measures, medical care and disease control, food safety, volunteer placements, attending to athletes, and rain contingency plans.
3. Counterterrorism planning is the most important part of preparations for the Universiade. The Ministry of the Interior will set up a central government safety command center on August 12 (opening day of the athletes’ village), while other agencies will work closely together to ensure nothing is left out of the work of terrorism prevention and public safety.
The MOE said that the games will take place in some 60 stadiums across Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County, including a new tennis center, a new basketball hall and 53 renovated stadiums that were all completed by June as scheduled. When the games are over, 10 soccer stadiums equipped with artificial turf will be used by the proprietor organization or school for future soccer training and competitions as a way of continuing Taiwan’s sports development and interactions with the international community.
Source: Department of Information Services, Executive Yuan
Read the press release on Executive Yuan´s website here.
