Visa extends long-running commitment to Paralympic sport

The International Paralympic Committee and its longest serving worldwide Paralympic partner, payment services company Visa, have today (Tuesday) extended their partnership through until at least 2020.

As part of the new agreement, the IPC and Visa will work together over the coming years to create digital media campaigns that support the Games and athletes, and highlight innovative payment technologies around the world.

Visa’s worldwide Paralympic partnership with the IPC dates back to 2003 and under the agreement Visa retains exclusive marketing and promotional rights within the payment services category and activation opportunities for financial institution clients and merchants throughout the world.

Andrew Parsons, IPC president, said: “Visa was the first global sponsor of the IPC and Paralympic Games and over the years they have continually increased their support of the Paralympic Movement and leading Para athletes.

“We greatly value our partnership with Visa and are very excited about the joint digital media campaigns that we will be running between now and 2020.”

Visa is the official payment technology partner and only card accepted at all Paralympic Games venues to purchase Paralympic tickets, official Games merchandise, or food and beverages in venues.

As part of its support of the Pyeongchang 2018 Paralympic winter Games, Visa recently announced its global roster for Team Visa.

USA’s Para biathlete and Para cross-country skier Oksana Masters, Canada’s Para alpine skier Mac Marcoux (pictured), South Korea’s Para ice hockey player Jung Seung-Hwan and China’s Para cross-country skier Beibei Chu are the four Paralympic athletes and hopefuls included in the team, alongside a number of Olympic winter athletes.

Visa founded its Team Visa programme in 2000 with the aim of providing Olympic and Paralympic athletes and hopefuls with the tools, resources and support they need to compete at the Games.