The International University Sports Federation (FISU) governing body has announced that its long-term secretary general and chief executive Eric Saintrond is set to step down, with the director of Switzerland’s Federal Office of Sport (FOSPO) in line to replace him.
Saintrond will step down from FISU, the body that organizes the World University Games multi-sport event, at the beginning of 2025. The Belgian first joined the body in 1985, becoming secretary general in November 2007.
He will be replaced by Matthias Remund, a former FISU World University Games competitor, who has served as the director of FOSPO since April 2005.
Remund stated of his new role: “I am convinced of the huge potential of both FISU and university sport. What FISU does, nobody else can.
"It safeguards the quality of university sport, while solidifying collaborations with the [International Olympic Committee] and other sports organizations from all over the world. I am extremely happy to be able to contribute to its development with my experience.”
Remund will be joined by a pair of deputy secretary generals taken from within FISU.
General director Paulo Ferreira and director of development Fernando Parente will serve as deputy secretary generals under Remund, with Ferreira also taking the role of chief operating officer and Parente as chief development officer.
FISU president Leonz Eder stated of the appointments: “The growth of FISU in all areas now requires a modern organizational structure, which will now be ensured by a secretary general/chief executive and two deputy secretary generals.
“I am very pleased and grateful that Eric Saintrond will continue to support this process for another year.”
Across his tenure as secretary general, Saintrond has overseen the expansion of the body from 17 employees in 2007 to over 50 employees and consultants in 2024, with the body agreeing multiple commercial partnerships over this time.
In August 2023, FISU renewed its partnership with Chinese sports apparel firm Qiaodan for a further two years, having first partnered in 2016.
