EUROPEAN UNIVERSITIES

TABLE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP 2009,

City of Nis - Serbia, 22 – 25 July

The University Sports Federation of Serbia (USFS) and University Sports Union of Nis (USUN) welcomes participants to the 3^rd European Universities TABLE TENNIS Championship (for Men and Women), which will take place in Serbia, from the 22nd to 25th July 2009.

The event is being organised by the USFS and USUN and is under the auspices of the Serbian Minister of Education, Minister of Sport and City of Nis.

1) EVENT

European University Championship (EUC) - TABLE TENNIS (Men and Women).

2) ORGANISING COMMITTEE

Organising committee will consists of representatives of: USFS, USUN, City of Nis, University of Nis and Table tennis Association of Serbia.

3) EVENT DATES

The event dates, period during which accomodation and sport facilities would be accessible, will be from 20th to 28th July 2009.

4) COMPETITION DATES

Competition dates, period from the opening till the closing ceremony, will be from 22 to 25 July 2009.

5) ENTRY AND PARTICIPATION FEES - FINANCES

Entry fee: €20 per participant (athletes and officials).

Participation fee: €50 per participant per night payable to the Organising committee.

50% of the participation fee should be paid to the Organising committee together with the Quantitative Entry form.

The remaining participation fee will be paid upon arrival.

6) TECHNICAL RULES - NUMBER OF TEAMS / FORMAT OF THE EVENT

The organization of the EUC Table Tennis shall be based on the most recent technical regulations of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).

The following competitions will be held:

Team competition:

- Men.

- Women

Individual competition:

- Men: singles and doubles.

- Women: singles and doubles

- Mixed doubles (a mixed doubles team can be made up of the athletes from different Universities and countries).

The Championship will last four (4) day, from 22nd to 25th July 2009.

The maximum number of teams in each competition is sixteen (16). If more than sixteen (16) entries are received, the EUSA EC will determine the system of qualification. When less than six (6) entries are received, the event may be held as an EUSA Cup.

The NUSA may nominate more than one team in each competition; the teams must be from different University.

The winner of the previous championship has the right to take part in the competition in addition to the relevant NUSA limit.

Team competition:

- Men: one (1) team, a maximum of five (5) athletes.

- Women : one (1) team, a maximum of five (5) athletes.

Individual competition:

- Men: a maximum of five (5) athletes.

- Women: a maximum of five (5) athletes.

The format of the tournament will be decided by SCAC taking into consideration the number of teams/athletes entered.

The format of the tournament will be decided by SCAC taking into consideration the number of teams/athletes entered.

The draw of the tournament will be done in the presence of an EUSA Representative taking into account: ITTF players ranking, EUSA Table tennis ranking. Teams from the same country shall wherever possible be placed in different pools/ quarters or halves of the draw.

Each team has to pay fees defined in EUC Regulations by the specified date. The deposit must be paid on EUSA request.

If more than one teams are nominated by one NUSA, the nomination must define a ranking order to enable eventual seeding.

All players should bring their student ID cards to prove their university registration.

7) ACCOMODATION

Competitors and team officials will be accommodated at the Students' centre University of  Nis. The Center operates four residence halls, all located in the City. It is a modern accommodation center based on DOUBLE rooms. Complete capacety of Students' centre Nis is 1000 beds.

8) COMPETITION FACILITY REQUIREMENTS

All the matches will take place at City sports hall "Cair" (for 5000 spectators).

9) ARRIVAL / DEPARTURE POINTS

All competitors and team officials will be met at Belgrade Airport upon their arrival in Serbia. They will be taken by bus to the Nis (200 km from Belgrade). They will also be taken by bus to the Airport for their departure.

Airport in Nis also can also be used, depending of flight schedule.

10) MAP / LOCAL SITUATION

The longest distance between accomodation facilities and the sports facilities is 15 minuts by bus.

11) CATERING

The breakfast and meals will be served at the restaurants of the Students' centre Nis, next to the accomodation facilities.

12) LOCAL TRANSPORT

During the Championship there will be a bus shuttle service, for the transfer of the teams to and from the playing facilities.

13) REGULATIONS

The organization of the EUC Table Tennis shall be based on the most recent technical regulations of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).

14) RESULTS & STATISTICS

The results and statistics of the Championship will be available at the daily bulletin, tournament office and web site at the end of each day.

15) INFORMATION FOR ENTRY

a) Deadline

The General Entry form should have been sent to the EUSA office by 22nd April 2009.
The Quantitative Entry form should have been sent to the OC by 22nd May 2009.
The Nominative Entry form should be sent to the OC by 07th July 2009.

16) PRESS, RADIO, TELEVISION

Organising Committee will provide full media coverage.

17) SOCIAL PROGRAM

In cooperation with Students' cultural centre Nis, there will be organised cultural events for the participants every night during the championship, at the University.

18) CITY OF NIS

Nis is one of the oldest cities in the Balkans. It is the second largest city in our country, and the centre of the Administrative District of the Nisava.

Situated at the crossroads, Nis connects the Balkans to Europe, and Europe to the Near East. That is why it has always been considered a gateway between The East and The West.

The cilmate of the Niš area is moderate, continental. The average temperature is 11.2°C. July is the warmest month of the year, with the average of 21.2 0C. The coldest month is January, averaging at 0.2°C. The average of the annual rainfall is 567.25 mm/m². The average barometer value is 992.74 mb. There are 123 days with rain and 43 days with snow. On the average, the wind force is just below 3 Beaufort.

Niš is very easily accessible, having an airport and being a point of intersection of numerous railroad and highway lines. Niš is a modern university centre, and a city of more than 300 000 inhabitants. It is the centre of the whole south-eastern part of Serbia - the natural, social, economic, educational, medical, cultural and sports centre. The city covers the area of about 597 square kilometres, including the city of Niš itself, the Niška Banja spa and 68 suburbs.

Niš is one of the most important industrial centres in Serbia, well-known for its industry of electronics, its industry of mechanical engineering, the textile industry and the tobbaco industry. Statistics show that the system of education is quite elaborate in our city: there are 50 000 pupils attanding 32 primary and 21 secondary schools. There are 27000 students at Niš University, which comprises 13 faculties. Health facilities in Niš are modern and very well developed: there are 30 clinics, medical centres and institutes which are, on the one hand, open to students of the Faculty of Medicine and their obligatory training programs, and, on the other hand, offer the citizens of Niš and the south-eastern Serbia a wide range of modern methods and services for the prevention and treatment of their health problems.

Niš has celebrated the hundredth anniversary of its first Grammar School, of its National Theatre, the Public Library, and the local literary magazine.

The cultural life in Niš is shaped by the numerous institutions - the National Theatre, the Public Library, the National Museum, the Symphony Orchestra, the Puppet Theatre, Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments, the University Library, the City Archives, the Gallery of Contemporary Art, the Centre for Culture and Education, several publishing houses, and many amateur organizations in arts and culture. Several famous cultural manifestations have already become part of Niš's tradition: Film festival - the Festival of Actors' Achievements, Choral Festival - the international festival of amateur choirs, as well as the Art Colony in Sićevo - the oldest of its kind in Serbia.

Niš has a lot to offer to tourists. In Niška Banja Spa there are many tourist objects that can be used for the purposes of recreation or convalescence, as well as for organizing congresses and conferences, or various sports and cultural happenings. Besides, there are several popular picnic sites in the close vicinity of the city. More than 40 local sports clubs include both professional and amateur ones. The citizens of Niš love sports, whether they go in for sports themselves or just cheer the professionals. Some of Niš sports clubs have achieved remarkable results in Serbia and international competitions.