Canadian banking group RBC has extended its partnership with the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC).
The two parties have agreed a new eight-year deal, which will run until 2024. RBC will continue to serve as a premier national partner of the COC.
The deal will cover the 2018 winter Games in Pyeongchang, Korea; the 2020 summer Games in Tokyo, Japan; the 2022 winter Games in Beijing, China and the 2024 summer Games, the host of which has yet to be announced.
RBC is the longest-serving partner of the COC, having first teamed up with the body in 1947. Since then, RBC has supported grassroots initiatives that give young people access to sport and the renewal coincides with the launch of the second season of RBC Training Ground, an RBC-led programme that travels to 26 communities to uncover some of Canada’s most promising young athletes.
The COC and RBC have also worked to develop programmes that give more financial support to high-performance athletes, with nearly 200 Olympians and Paralympians having signed up as RBC ambassadors through the RBC Olympians Program.
Chris Overholt, chief executive and secretary general of the COC, said: “RBC’s commitment to the Canadian Olympic team is unparalleled in its longevity and generosity. Canada’s largest financial institution has helped thousands of athletes go to the Games and compete against the best in the world since 1947.
“Now looking ahead, we couldn’t be more grateful for their renewed support in developing the next generations of Olympians. RBC is a critical part of the team’s past and future success.”