E.Killian,president of International University Sports Federation (FISU),admitted that the World University Games was becoming less competitive nowadays as a result of money-backed professional sports."Time has made the change,"Killian told Xinhua in an exclusive interview.

Citing basketball as an example,Killian said in the 1980s and early 1990s,the Universiade had the best players,such as Larry Bird,Charles Barkley and Allen Iverson.

"They weren't great players when they played in the Universiade ...Nobody knew that these gentlemen would turn to be such great players in the future,"he said.

The National Basketball Association (NBA)has drawn the best players from all over the world to its lucrative league as professional values have taken almost all sports events since the mid-1990s.

It's the same case in track and field,said Killian.

"Back to the 1980s and early 1990s,there was no money involved in track and field.You could be the 100-meter champion of the world,and all you got was a medal.

"But now,in athletics,if you are one of the top athletes,you can win all kinds of money.That's the difference,"he said.

Despite the lack of elite university athletes at recent Universiades,Killian said FISU doesn't plan to change the situation.

"Nothing (to change),"said the 79-year-old American.

"We want to have the best world university athletes compete in Universiade,but we can't force anybody to play.

"So if you want to compete in our games,you are going to compete for gold medal,silver medal or bronze medal.There's no financial renumeration,"he added.

Killian,who was re-elected as FISU president on Tuesday,said the world university sports body will stick to its own way and pursue amateurism and sportsmanship.

"What we now have is the best amateur sporting event in the world,"he said.