CISM President Colonel Hervé Piccirillo Speaks Highly of the Games

WUHAN (CHN) - The International Military Sports Council (CISM) held a press conference for the 7th CISM Military World Games (7th CWG) at the Main Media Center at 10 a.m. on October 18. The CISM President Herve Piccirillo, Secretary General Colonel Dorah Mamby Koita, and the CISM World Games Director Olivier Verhelle shared their expectations for the Games and the host city.

Piccirillo emphasized the importance of CISM' ideals. "We can say that athletes and soldiers share the same values: resilience, bravery, teamwork — it's very important for athletes as well as for soldiers. I think that when we are all together, solders united under the CISM values, we share values that, beyond values, are spirits of peace and of sharing. Above all, the competition, that is the spirit that we want to bring to carry on everywhere in the world."

The president spoke highly of Wuhan's efficient delivery of the Games. "I was very impressed the first time I came to Wuhan by the commitment and the will of all the people of Wuhan to organize this competition. It's so difficult to organize this kind of competition. You can see around you the results of these commitments. The sport venues, the Athletes' Village, it's wonderful. We've never seen that before in the history of CISM. All athletes say to me that they are very happy to be here; they are proud to be here to share the CISM values with the Chinese people."

Talking about the Opening Ceremony on the night of Oct. 18, he said that he was sure that the show would be amazing. "This Opening Ceremony will be the demonstration of the perfect organization of the city of Wuhan and the military authority for these big events. I think that everybody will see it, not only in the stadium but in every country of the world because it will be broadcast by (Chinese TV station) CCTV, (with) all the perfection of the organization."

Verhelle has been to Wuhan many times over the past four years in preparation for the Games. Describing Wuhan as his second home, he praised the city, noting it is "deeply marked by two characteristics: the serenity and the modernity. These two specificities of Wuhan coexist to transfer Wuhan every day.

"Every time I have been here I have seen that Wuhan is really in a transition towards a bright new modern city and we're very happy to see that Wuhan is growing inside of China, but also all over the world. We are really impressed to see every night on the skyscrapers and buildings, all of these light shows. And what I like is that during the Games, these light shows are showing the mascot of the Games, Bingbing, they are showing sportsmen, they are showing the logo of the Games and the logo of CISM and that's a clear example of how the Games are marking the city."

(Editor WANG Mengqi – Pictures: Maxime Morlet, CISM Media and Communication Assistant)