Universiade Granada 2015 ...... What Universiade?

Of course, I hardly need to mention this. All of you winter sports fans around the world will be riveted to the thrilling winter sports action from the globally renowned event that is currently being transmitted live from Granada to every corner of the globe.

I beg your pardon? What did you say? You have never heard of the Universiade? But, but, but... (splutter of indignation)... it is (quote) "one of the great international sports events" and (quote) "second only to the Olympic Games" in terms of prestige.

You're absolutely certain that you've never heard of it? Somewhat incredulous though I am, I guess I will have to fill you in. In its various manifestations, the Universiade is an international sports competition for students, one of which is the Winter Students World Championships. The 27th Winter Universiade is currently taking place in - yes, you've guessed it, Granada. Starting on February 4th, the event lasts eleven days and has drawn more than 2,500 participants from no less than fifty countries to compete in a variety disciplines including artistic ice skating, snowboarding, Alpine skiing, ice hockey and curling.

Fifty participating countries! Surely, then, there cannot be a single person in Granada who is unaware of its existence? Think again. As a teacher of English as a second language, many of my students are studying, or have studied, at the University of Granada, a seat of learning with a prestigious faculty of sports science and one that is closely involved with the Universiade. More than this, the majority of my students are born and bred here. Yet when I recently asked them what they knew about it, roughly two thirds had never even heard of the Universiade.

Okay. Winter sports are not everybody's cup of tea. Surely, though, such a major event must be attracting enormous national and international media coverage?

Think again. The hour-long afternoon news programme on Spanish national television devotes what is, to my way of thinking, an excessive 20 minutes or more to sports. The vast majority of this time is taken up by the unhealthy obsession with every last trivial syllable uttered by every key football manager/trainer in the country. Yesterday - Saturday - was no exception. And I'm sure you have already guessed what comes next. Not a mention of the Universiade.

Sadly, it seems that the Granada Universiade of 2015 was doomed to oblivion long ago, and a great part of the responsibility for this lamentable indifference has to rest in the hands of the local administration. Even though I am not a great fan of sports in general, I recognise the enormous role that sport plays in promoting health, team values and international cooperation - this latter at a time in our history when jihadists and frightening dictatorships such as that of North Korea are striving to achieve exactly the opposite.

It figures, then, that the City Council has been presented with a marvellous opportunity to focus the world's attention on a part of Spain with a fascinating history, a priceless cultural heritage and a venerable university tradition. In addition, at a time when the city is desperate to drag itself out of an economic quagmire and promote itself as a major tourist destination, this event would seem like the publicity equivalent of manna from heaven.

But Granada has got it wrong again. A Metro system that the city doesn't need, is years behind schedule and millions of euros over budget... an inability to protect the historic Albaycin neighbourhood from graffiti and decay (thus threatening its World Heritage Site status), the inexorable erosion of the fertile farmlands of the Vega as it is swallowed up by ugly suburban and industrial sprawl... perhaps the failure to capitalise on the Universiade is not surprising when viewed in the broader context.

Well done, Granada. The proverbial gift horse must be shaking his head in despair...