Organisers of Yekaterinburg 2023 are confident their progress has not been affected by COVID-19 ©Ekat 2023/Twitter

Preparations for the 2023 Summer World University Games in Yekaterinburg are "running according to schedule", International University Sports Federation (FISU) vice-president Marian Dymalski has claimed following a recent meeting with Russian organisers.

Dymalski, the FISU coordinator for the event in the Russian city, met with Organising Committee executive director Alexandr Chernov and Russian Student Sport Union secretary general Dmitry Kiselev to discuss the Games.

He said organisers were ready to respond to any challenges and claimed the coronavirus pandemic had not had a negative impact on their preparations for the Games.

"Mr Chernov made sure that despite the pandemic, the Organising Committee has been working hard and their activities are running according to the schedule," said Dymalski.

"There is a lot of work to be done, however the executives are in the know about the current state of affairs and are ready to react to changing circumstances accordingly."

Preparations for the 2023 Summer World University Games were high on the agenda during a meeting between Polish and Russian officials ©FISU
Preparations for the 2023 Summer World University Games were high on the agenda during a meeting between Polish and Russian officials ©FISU

The 2023 Summer World University Games are due to be held between August 8 and 19.

Yekaterinburg was awarded the event by the FISU in July 2019.

Russia is due to host the Summer University Games for a second time, following Kazan's hosting of the Summer Universiade in 2013.

Moscow staged the Summer Universiade in 1973 when it was part of the Soviet Union.