Sponsor Spotlight - Coke Opens Plant; McDonald's Awards Games Makers; GE Lights Olympic Stadium

Coca-Cola Opens New Plant

Coca-Cola opened a new bottling plant in Myanmar this past week.

The plant, the first ever in the country, is expected to create more than 22,000 jobs.

The IOC TOP sponsor re-entered Myanmar last year after the U.S. lifted sanctions preventing U.S.-based companies from working in the country.

The bottling plant is part of Coca-Cola’s five-year, $200 million investment in the country. It will hire only local workers, improve local infrastructure, and work solely with local distributors for the plant.

Muhtar Kent attended the plant’s opening ceremony along with Madeleine Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State, His Excellency U Myint Swe, Chief Minister of Yangon Region, as well as other local leaders.

"As we grow as a local business in Myanmar, we are committed to creating economic value and building sustainable communities," said Kent.

"For the people of Myanmar, Coca-Cola embodies the optimism of a bright future, with the promise of better days and better lives ahead. We are privileged to be a part of their journey."

In addition to the plant, the Coca-Cola Foundation has pledged to work with local organizations to fund programs that help the women of Myanmar gain financial literacy skills.

Swimming Australia Acknowledges "Rebuilding" Period

Following the resignation of Swimming Australia president Barclay Nettlefold and the loss of two major revenue streams, SA CEO Mark Anderson acknowledged a difficult path ahead for the organization.

On Wednesday, Energy Australia ended its sponsorship of SA after one year of what was supposed to be a five-year deal. The agreement is worth a reported $2 million a year, and Australian media say that is about half of SA’s annual corporate sponsorship.

"This is obviously disappointing but we respect the decision," Anderson said in a statement.

"This is a difficult time for Swimming Australia and we recognize there are no easy solutions."

In April, the Australian government also cut funding for SA by nearly $500,000.

"Financial support from sponsors is important to the success of Australian Swimming, but ultimate success in the pool is built upon hard work and a strong and stable supporting organization," Anderson said.

"Recent results are testament to the hard work and dedication by our athletes, coaches and their families."

Australian swimmers largely disappointed during the London Olympics. Following the Games, a scandal erupted that Australian swim team members used the Stilnox sleeping pill as part of a bonding session.

London Volunteers Earn New Qualification

Thousands of London 2012 "Games Makers" volunteers obtained a specially created national qualification from their Olympic work.

The qualification, called Level 2 City & Guilds Award in the Principles of Customer Service, was created by McDonald’s and designed to certify Games Makers, boost their resumes and leave a legacy of volunteering, according to the TOP sponsor.

"The Games Makers were crucial to the success of London 2012 and I'm proud that many of them are now using their experience and qualification to open up opportunities in their careers, as well as in sport and volunteering," said LOCOG chairman Sebastian Coe.

"The number of Games Makers awarded the qualification far exceeds expectations, and it’s great to see such an appetite for learning and personal development," added Richard Forte, Chief Operations Officer, McDonald’s UK.

"It was always our ambition to use our role as Presenting Partner for the Games Maker program to deliver a lasting legacy that created opportunities for the volunteers themselves, raised hospitality standards in our own business and across the service sector as a whole."

GE to Light Olympic Stadium

Lights for Rio de Janeiro’s Maracanã will be provided by Olympic TOP sponsor General Electric.

The electric company will provide nearly 400 floodlights to provide uniform and consistent lighting without glare or shadows.

The stadium will host the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2016 Olympics as well as the finals for the football tournaments during the Games.

"We are very pleased to embrace the opportunity to contribute our expertise to lighting this monument to world soccer," said Alexandre Ferrari, General Manager, GE Lighting, Brazil.

"We have been present at many moments in the stadium’s history, including its inauguration in 1950, and we are participating in this new phase, which represents a milestone in the development and modernisation of the country’s infrastructure – and, of course, a gift to all of us who love the sport."

Written by Ed Hula III and Aaron Bauer.

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