Sponsors Gather at Madrid 2020 Forum
(ATR) Madrid Olympic bid leaders take part in a ‘Road to 2020’ forum in the Spanish capital on Tuesday.
The event is organized by the Spanish Olympic Committee, Madrid 2020 and sports newspaper Marca. The theme is ‘Commitment of the brands, sponsorships and business for fair play and clean sport.’
Among the speakers are Marcos de Quinto, president of Coca Cola Spain; Severino Martínez, vice-president of Pelayo Insurance; and Fernando Becker, director of Corporative Resources of Iberdrola, the leading Spanish energy suppliers.
Other companies sending representatives are: Adecco, energy company Cepsa, Heineken and banks La Caixa and BBVA.
All these companies are Spanish Olympic Committee sponsors; La Caixa, BBVA and Iberdrola have also partnered with Madrid 2020.
Madrid bid leader Alejandro Blanco will be among bid officials at the event.
Earlier Tuesday, Blanco attended a Spanish Athletics Federation press conference where the country’s delegation of athletes for the IAAF Athletics World Championships in Moscow was announced.
The Passing of the Baton
The United Kingdom celebrates one year since London 2012, and passes the Summer Olympics baton to Rio de Janeiro.
Britain’s UN Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant co-hosted the event with Brazilian UN Ambassador Luiz Alberto Figueiredo Machado.
"The London 2012 Games were remarkable and unforgettable. And we hope they will leave a lasting legacy," Lyall Grant said during the ceremony’s opening address.
He added: "This year, to mark the one year anniversary, British embassies around the world are hosting events like this one, often in partnership with our Brazilian successors."
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon was also in attendance at the passing of the baton. Lyall Grant recalled Ban’s "central role in the opening ceremony of the London Olympics."
Ban reminisced about running in London’s torch relay, and spoke highly of the event.
According to Ban, the torch relay "symbolizes our common goals and values, and our commitment to use the games as a platform to promote mutual understanding and peace."
Rio de Janeiro now gears up to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, which will begin on August 5.
Istanbul Touts Youth Success
Turkey won the European U-18 Basketball Champions in Riga, Latvia.
They defeated Croatia in the final, to secure their first championship.
"There is so much sporting talent amongst Turkey’s 31 million young people and it is excellent to see this potential is beginning to be fulfilled," said Istanbul 2020 Bid Chairman Hasan Arat.
"But, there is still so much more to come from our young athletes. Istanbul 2020 will realise this untapped potential by stimulating and supporting a dramatic rise in mass sports participation throughout Turkey and the surrounding region."
Written by Nicole Bennett and Mark Bisson.
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