Ian Pritchard, the University of T&T (UTT) senior manager, Sport and Recreation, was elected as one of five advisors of the International University Sports Federation (FISU) America.
This came following the General Assembly of the Continental Association held on March 24, 2024 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
According to a FISU America press release, the executive representatives will play a vital role in ensuring the success of all the events organised by the Federation throughout the year. They will make decisions based on the needs of the continent's sports and educational institutions to enable more young people to be part of the university sports family.
The other members of the executive body consist of president Alim Maluf from Brazil, vice president Fred Asprilla from Columbia, secretary America Alvarado from Honduras, treasurer Inés Gomez from Argentina, and other advisors, Alex Funes of El Salvador, Gernot Hecht of Chile, Cristian Romero of Peru, and Gabriel Valdés of Panama and the new administration will hold office until 2028.
Upon being elected as one of the five advisors, Pritchard expressed that his primary objective is to enhance the standard of tertiary sports and increase the opportunities available to tertiary student-athletes in T&T, as well as the wider Caribbean region to compete in international sports events.
He said he believes that tertiary sports can play a crucial role in bridging the gap between secondary school sports and professional sports.
FISU America is the governing body of university sports in the Americas (North, South and Central) and the Caribbean. It was founded in 2007 to provide a platform for all university students in the Americas and the Caribbean to exchange and interact through sports.