LAUSANNE, Switzerland, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- China's largest sports products brand Anta and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on Tuesday that the Chinese sportswear brand has become the Official Sportswear Uniform Supplier of the IOC until the end of 2022.
IOC President Thomas Bach and Anta's Executive Chairman of the Board and CEO Ding Shizhong signed an agreement in Lausanne on Tuesday. The agreement, which includes apparel, shoes and accessories, will see Anta supplying the IOC Members and staff with sports apparel uniforms for the Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Lausanne 2020, the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 and the YOG Dakar 2022, as well as for the IOC administration's needs in Lausanne.
It represents a significant milestone for Anta joining hands with the Olympics, since its becoming the official partner of the Chinese Olympic Committee from 2009 to 2024, and of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and the Winter Paralympics.
The Chinese sportswear giant has already customized the official apparel and equipment for the IOC during the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 and the YOG Buenos Aires 2018.
"We are delighted to announce this long-term agreement with Anta. We were very pleased by the excellent quality and designs of the uniforms delivered for the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics and the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympics, and we have been very impressed by the professionalism and flexibility of the Anta team," Bach said.
"Anta is a strong partner of the Olympic Movement, and we thank them for their commitment to sports in China as well as its partnership with the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. We look forward to wearing their uniforms with pride in Lausanne, Tokyo, Beijing and Dakar," he added.
Anta's chairman and CEO Ding Shizhong said that the company is "honored to work with the IOC. Anta's value of 'Keep Moving' echoes with the Olympic motto of 'higher, faster, stronger'."
He pledged to build a bridge that inspires broader exchanges and communication for Chinese culture and the Olympic culture, while also helping the consumers to approach the charm of the Olympics in a more accessible way.
Founded in 1991, Anta, as one of the leading sportswear companies in China, has been the official sports apparel partner of the Chinese Olympic Committee since 2009. It has partnered with the Chinese sports delegation in more than 30 major international games and sports events, investing accumulatively more than five billion yuan (about 708 million U.S. dollars) to support the development of sports in China, while also providing awarding, competition, training and daily equipment for 36 national sports teams.