The bid committee for Medellín’s tilt at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games has secured a sponsorship deal with Bancolombia – the largest commercial bank in Colombia and one of the leading financial institutions in Latin America.
The agreement comes as the International Olympic Committee prepares to decide the 2018 host city in a vote to be held on July 4 in Lausanne, Switzerland. Medellín’s rivals for the Games are Buenos Aires, Argentina and Glasgow, Scotland.
“This is much more than a strategic partnership with a commercial bank,” Medellín 2018 chief executive Juan Camilo Quintero said. “It is hugely significant that a powerful company like Bancolombia recognises the importance the Youth Olympic Games would have here. They want to be part of the process to positively impact our people. The entire business community is on board with our candidature because they know what it will mean to Colombia to host such a prestigious international event.”