Indiantelevision.com Team

(6 February 2008 4:00 pm)

MUMBAI: The International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) has announced the signature of a two- year agreement with the Swedish company ÅF for the title sponsorship of the Golden League.

The international launch of the 2008 edition of the Golden League will take place on 7 March, 2008 on the occasion of the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Valencia.

ÅF will receive a package of rights throughout all six Golden League events including the naming rights of the competition that will now become the ÅF Golden League as well as the right to have its logo inserted in the new Golden League logo.

IAAF president Lamine Diack says, “The IAAF is very happy to start a new relationship with ÅF. The Golden League is a key promotional tool for athletics, and the six meeting series offers fans all over the world a compact, dramatic stage on which to admire the best athletes in the world. Now that it has developed into such a recognisable brand, we believe that the Golden League deserves a partner like ÅF.”

The AF Group is a technical consulting company with more than a century of experience. ÅF offers highly qualified services and solutions for industrial processes, infrastructure projects and the developments of products and IT systems.

ÅF MD, CEO, Jonas Wiström says, “We see the collaboration as an important part of our ambition to raise ÅF to a new international level. We will be an active partner and we believe that our expertise within technology and the environment can benefit athletics,” said .

IMG is the marketing agency for the IAAF for the Golden League sales of international TV rights and the title sponsor and brokered this deal on behalf of the IAAF. IMG Media senior VP Kristian Hysén says, “The ÅF Golden League deal is an excellent merger of a high profile international sports brand and a competent and expanding company”.