Universiade: 8,000 athletes awaited

(ANSA) - Naples, September 12 - Some 8,000 athletes from 170 countries will be competing in Naples and the surrounding Campania region in the 2019 Universiade slated for July 3-14.
    The numbers have been decided in recent weeks for the athletes that will be taking part in 18 different sports: archery, gymnastics, track and field, basketball, diving, fencing, football, Judo, rhythmic gymnastics, seven-player rugby, sailing, target shooting, swimming, table tennis, Taekwondo, tennis, volleyball and water polo. In the spotlight will be Naples, which was assigned the games and will host 4,500 athletes including 4,000 that will be staying on two cruise ships anchored in the port.
    The first contract for the first, the MSC Lirica, has already been signed while bidding is still underway for the second and the others will probably go to the university dorms. The remaining 3,500 athletes will go to Salerno and Caserta, distributed between hotels and the Fisciano university campus. In addition to the athletes, 2,000 technical experts, competition judges and delegates from various countries are expected in Naples, alongside the audience. There will be 80 sports facilities in Naples and the greater Campania region involved in the event: 38 for competitions and 42 for training and preparation in all five of the provinces in the region.