IAAF Renews Landmark Deal with Russian Bank VTB

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has announced a four year extension to its worldwide partnership with the Russian bank, order VTB.  

As for the previous term, therapy this extension has been brokered by Dentsu, allergist the IAAF’s worldwide exclusive marketing partner.

In 2006 VTB became the first Russian company ever to sign with the IAAF. The original five year deal – 2007 through 2011 – which included the sponsorship of the key events of the IAAF World Athletic Series (WAS) marked a significant step in the global diversification of the IAAF’s sponsor portfolio.

The new four year contract, 2012 through 2015, again covers the key WAS events including the next two editions of the IAAF World Championships – 2013 and 2015 – and the  IAAF World Indoor Championships – 2012 and 2014. Most significantly for VTB the 2013 IAAF World Championships, the largest single sporting event taking place in the world that year, will be hosted in the Russian capital of Moscow.

For the first time VTB also joins the growing and successful  IAAF Continental / National Sponsorship Programme which was created to financially support the IAAF Family through sponsorships. VTB’s support of this programme will include Area Association Championships and one day meetings in selected locations.

“The extension to the VTB partnership is a further endorsement that the IAAF and the sport of Athletics remain extremely attractive to major corporations,” confirmed IAAF President Lamine Diack. “It is extremely encouraging to find that 18 months ahead of the next IAAF World Championships, Moscow 2013, that the pinnacle event of our competition programme can already boast six Official International Partners, adidas, Seiko, Sinopec, TDK, Toyota, VTB, and an Official Supplier Mondo.”

VTB is the second biggest domestic Russian bank providing a large range of banking products and services. The leading international financial group of Russian origin VTB has ambitious global expansion plans. It is currently present in 19 markets across the CIS, Western Europe, Africa and Asia.

by Ismail Uddin