New Delhi: The International Olympic Committee has entered into a long-term commercial deal with Chinese technology company TCL, who would replace their long-standing partner Panasonic from Japan.
TCL has agreed to an eight-year, four-Olympics deal through 2032 and would be the IOC’s official sponsor for home audiovisual equipment and appliances, the IOC said on Thursday, without disclosing any valuation in cash or operational services.
Panasonic, one of the founding members of IOC’s global Olympic partner programme TOP that began in 1985, ended their four-decade long association after the Paris Olympics last year.
Last year, Japanese firms Toyota and Bridgestone ended their partnership with the IOC, making up one-fifth of 15 TOP sponsors who paid over $2 billion in cash and services In the last four-year Olympic cycle.
The IOC said they shook hands on the deal with TCL at the 2008 Olympic venue in Beijing. TCL will help the IOC to explore using AI and also supply equipment ranging from “digital displays at the Olympic and Paralympic Games to household appliances in the Olympic Village”.
“At the Olympic and Paralympic Games, TCL will enable new visual and lifestyle experiences by providing a range of intelligent innovations, including smart displays, air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, door locks, audio systems, projectors and TCL RayNeo smart glasses,” the IOC said in a statement on Thursday.
The Los Angeles Summer Games in 2028 and Brisbane in 2032, the Winter Games next year in Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo and 2030 in the French Alps are fall under the period TCL’s deal with the IOC will be in place.
2030 Winter Games organising committee formed
The IOC’s general assembly voted to appoint Olympic champion Edgar Grospiron as president of the organising committee of the 2030 Witer Games in the French Alps.
Grospiron became the first Olympic mogul skiing champion on home soil at the 1992 Winter Games in Albertville.
“I want to congratulate everyone on the establishment of the Organizing Committee for French Alps 2030. The appointment of Edgar Grospiron as OCOG President gives us full confidence in the project based on his background as an Olympic champion combined with his experience in sports leadership,” said IOC president Thomas Bach.
“The French Alps Games will build on the sustainable model and momentum from the highly successful Olympic Games Paris 2024. They will benefit from existing world-class venues, recent experience in organizing the Olympic Games, but also in delivering annual international winter sports competitions. Over the next five years, the French people will continue to demonstrate their passion for and commitment to the Olympic Movement and the Olympic values.”
TCL has agreed to an eight-year, four-Olympics deal through 2032 and would be the IOC’s official sponsor for home audiovisual equipment and appliances Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
