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Host city | Sheffield, United Kingdom |
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Motto | The Future of Sport |
Nations | 101 |
Athletes | 3,346 |
Events | 123 in 11 sports |
Opening | 14 July 1991 |
Closing | 25 July 1991 |
Opened by | Anne, Princess Royal |
Torch lighter | Helen Sharman |
Main venue | Don Valley Stadium |
The 1991 Summer Universiade, officially known as the XVI Summer Universiade and generally referred to as the World Student Games, were held in Sheffield, England from 14 to 25 July 1991. The Games were the largest sporting event to be hosted in the United Kingdom since the 1948 Summer Olympics.
Afghanistan, Albania, Liechtenstein and Monaco boycotted the event in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979.
Sheffield City Council saw the event as a catalyst for urban renewal and regeneration after industrial decline.[1][2] It set up a company, Universiade GB Ltd, to run the games. New facilities built for the event included the centrepiece Don Valley Stadium and other arenas, while the Lyceum Theatre was renovated for the associated cultural events.[1]
More than 3,300 athletes took part from 101 countries, including the first appearance of a unified German team at a Summer Universiade.[3]