New Delhi: Athletics Federation of India (AFI) in a first of its kind partnership, joined hands with IOS Sports and Entertainment Pvt. Ltd – one of the oldest leading sports management organizations in India, to bring them on as exclusive commercial partners of the federation for a period of 3 years.
Driven by the objective of helping the federation and athletes secure the necessary support from the private sector and scale uncharted territories, the partnership heralds in a new era for the Indian athletics eco-system which now comprises household names like Dutee Chand, Hima Das, Neeraj Chopra, Kamalpreet Kaur, Seema Punia, Tajinderpal Singh Toor, Shaili Singh amongst many other great prospects.
The partnership will add a much-needed professional approach to the system and build on the stellar show at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which also saw the first-ever gold medal in athletics in India’s Olympic history.
Speaking about the partnership Athletics Federation of India, President, Adille Sumariwalla said, “This is a momentous occasion for Indian athletics. We at AFI have been constantly working towards providing our athletes with the best possible support. While IOA and SAI have done their bit, the results of which are in front of us, having a commercial partner are only going to help us in reaching the goal of raising the bar faster for athletics than ever before.”
He further added, “IOS Sports and Entertainment have dedicated themselves to furthering the cause of elevating the profile of all Olympic athletes associated with them and their commitment to promoting Olympic sports is commendable. We knew that they are the right choice to drive us forward into a new era of Indian athletics and act as partners for the federation in mission Paris 2024.”
Neerav Tomar, Promoter, IOS Sports and Entertainment Pvt. Ltd also commented on the partnership and said, “Athletics is the very core of a country’s sporting prowess and has historic achievement as well for the last sixteen years. We have been instrumental in structuring commercial opportunities with Indian Olympic Association and several franchise teams in IPL, ISL, HIL, etc., and would like to use our expertise and experience to deliver for the Athletics Federation of India in the most optimal way”.
“Our partnership with AFI is another step towards creating an ecosystem where the federation and athletes can grow alongside each other, receiving the necessary support, in achieving their goals. We are looking forward to a fruitful working relationship with AFI,” said Tomar.
The three-year partnership between IOS and AFI shall involve strategic planning to build the band AFI, unlock commercial assets, and partner with top brands.
