IOC keys in to Atos extension

The International Olympic Committee has secured its second top-tier partnership extension in the space of a week, with French IT services company Atos renewing its deal through to 2020.

Under its Worldwide TOP Partnership, Atos will provide integration services and systems management services, core hosting services and key Games-related applications and associated services for the 2018 Olympic winter Games in PyeongChang, Korea and the 2020 summer Games in Tokyo, Japan.

Atos has been a key technology provider for the Olympic Movement since 1989, when the company provided services to the Barcelona 1992 organising committee. Atos became the IOC’s worldwide information technology partner in 2001, and is currently supporting the ongoing Sochi 2014 Games and working with the organising committee for the next edition of the summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2016.

Gerhard Heiberg, chairman of the IOC’s Marketing Commission, said: “Atos provides the Olympic Movement with confidence and security by supplying dependable IT systems. After many years of working with Atos, who have consistently delivered on one of the biggest global stages, we are delighted that we will continue to partner with them long into the future.”

Panasonic last week became the first TOP partner to extend its partnership through to the 2022-24 period. The IOC currently has 10 TOP partners for the 2014-2016 period in the shape of Coca-Cola, Atos, Dow, GE, McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic, P&G, Samsung and Visa. Of these partners only Samsung has yet to commit for the 2018-2020 term.