Besnik Veliu, the head of the Albanian University Sports Federation said he hopes that more students take up sports and that the sporting sector in the country continues to grow.
The Federation was formed in December 2017 and supports some 6000 students across the country who are involved with sports at University. Veliu said he hoped that this number will continue to grow over the coming months and years.
“In recent years, with the development of Albanian society, steps are being taken regarding the further involvement of sports in our everyday life,” he said.
Veliu said more and more, students are taking an interest in different kinds of sports and physical activities. This has resulted in an uptick in the number of those taking up different pursuits.
“This signifies that the Federation has done a really good job in the past few years,” said Veliu.
The Federation was formed after Veliu had the idea to bring together all of the country’s university sport societies in one place. He created an umbrella organisation following approval from the European University Sports Association, and the Albanian Ministry of Education.
To date, there are 26 universities involved in the programme.
As well as offering events and opportunities for physical activity, the Federation also focuses on education and teaching about healthy lifestyles. It organises campaigns, events, meetings and conferences across the country.
Sadly, the Federation is facing some challenges, namely a lack of funds and no interest from some universities. Their plans have also been hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic but as restrictions are now being lifted, it’s hoped events can be held before the end of the year.
“We are really proud that we earned the right to organise university football tournaments in Albania,” he said.
“Sport is the best tool for educating people about a healthy lifestyle and creating humanitarian values and socialisation. Sport is the path to happiness and is life itself.”
To find out more or to get in touch with the Federation, you can visit their website here!
