IOC AND WFSGI’s COMPETITION UNIFORM SUPPORT PROGRAMME IS EQUIPPING 500 ATHLETES IN PARIS

Ittigen/Bern, SWITZERLAND 18 July 2024 – The Olympic Games Paris 2024 will see over 500 athletes from around the globe competing in state-of-the-art uniforms, thanks to a joint initiative from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI), and leading sporting goods brands that make up WFSGI’s membership.

Dedicated to fostering Olympic solidarity, the National Olympic Committee (NOC) Uniform Support Programme supports NOCs that require assistance in procuring competition-compliant uniforms, ensuring athletes are equipped with Olympic-standard uniforms that proudly bear their NOC name and emblem. Each uniform is tailored to the athlete, reflecting the commitment to excellence and equality that the Olympic Games stand for.

First introduced at the Rio 2016 Games, the programme emerged from the needs of some NOCs to provide their athletes with appropriate competition attire. The WFSGI, together with its sport brand members, partnered with the IOC to ensure that every Olympian would receive the support needed to compete on an equal footing.

“The goal of this programme is to ensure every athlete has access to the necessary apparel for their Olympic journey. The cooperation between the IOC, WFSGI, and the participating brands ensures a smooth process,” said James Macleod, Director of Olympic Solidarity and NOC Relations at the IOC. “Thanks to the programme, there’s now a level playing field for every athlete when it comes to their competition clothing.”

Emma Zwiebler, WFSGI CEO explains that “Wearing the best apparel and footwear on competition day is a crucial part of being mentally and physically prepared to compete. For many athletes it’s a ritual. Every athlete deserves to take part in possibly the biggest event of their careers without having to worry about their uniform and how it may affect their performance. Thank you to all 15 of our member brands for their participation in the Uniform Support Programme and their ongoing commitment to Olympic Solidarity.”

Robyn Young, a swimmer from Eswatini who competed in Tokyo 2020, shared her experience: “I almost cried. I had the newest edition goggles, swimsuit, tracksuit. I couldn’t have been happier – it was incredible. It’s a major confidence boost.”

Uniform Support Programme in Numbers

As Paris 2024 gets underway the programme will have supported 1,500 athletes from 94 NOCs across four Olympic Games starting with the Olympic Games Rio 2016 and expanded at Olympic Winter Games Pyeong Chang 2018, Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, and Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.

This year 15 WFSGI member brands will support the programme: adidas, Arena S.p.A., Arena Japan/Descente, ASICS, Decathlon, Descente, MAKO (Horizon Sport Creation), Mizuno, New Balance, NIKE, Orbea, Pentland Brands (Speedo, Canterbury, Endura), PUMA, Under Armour and Yonex. New to the list of supporting brands for Paris 2024 are Decathlon, MAKO (Horizon Sport Creation) and Yonex.

About WFSGI

The World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI) is the global, not-for-profit trade association for the sporting goods industry. WFSGI is officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the industry representative within the Olympic Movement.

The purpose of the WFSGI is to unite and support the global sporting goods industry, and ensure a healthier, more active planet for all. Our members comprise sports and sports-inspired leisure brands, manufacturers, suppliers, retailers, national/regional federations, industry and trade associations. This represents approximately 70% of the global industry by annual turnover.

Contact:

Linda Murphy

Head of Communications

World Federation of Sporting Goods Industry

lmurphy@wfsgi.org

Tel.: +34 625 215 714