Governing Bodies
DESPITE TOKYO 2020 POSTPONEMENT, LONG-TERM SPONSORS PLEDGE TO STAND BY OLYMPICS
Major corporate sponsors of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics are standing by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after the Games were postponed and experts familiar with the deals said the companies would not likely seek the return of billions of dollars committed to the agreements.
Fourteen global companies including Coca-Cola Co, Procter & Gamble Co and Intel Corp spent US$500 million (S$725 million) this year and have committed close to US$4 billion on multi-year contracts that designate them as top-tier sponsors, according to research firm Global Data.
On Tuesday (March 24), the Tokyo Games were postponed to 2021, a first in the 124-year modern history of the event, due to the coronavirus pandemicwhich has prompted governments to shut businesses globally.
After the announcement, four major sponsors, Procter & Gamble, Intel, Airbnb and Coca-Cola, reaffirmed their commitment to the Games. Bridgestone Corp will seek “creative solutions” in a delay, it told Reuters ahead of the announcement.
“As the longest standing sponsor of the Olympic Games, we remain committed to working together with the IOC and TOCOG (Tokyo Organising Committee) to create a successful and safe event,” said a Coca-Cola spokesman.
Despite the severe financial toll on the sponsors, the companies generally consider themselves long-term partners of the IOC.
“No doubt, the IOC and Japan are working hand-in-hand with those 14 sponsors,” said Jason Karlov, a partner at law firm Barnes & Thornburg, who has worked on previous IOC sponsor deals. “They keep the Olympic movement functioning and thriving.”Beyond the Olympics, the pandemic has forced the cancellation of nearly every national and regional sporting event in the coming months. Lawyers involved in those deals said many corporate sponsors, often smaller companies hard hit by the outbreak, are trying to back out and get their money back.
However, even if a company wanted its Olympic sponsorship money returned, it is unlikely the deal with the IOC allows it, according to those lawyers familiar with the deals.
The sponsorship dollars are crucial to the operations of the IOC, which is a non-profit organisation funded primarily by broadcast rights and revenue from top sponsors. The companies generally pay a portion of the total contract upfront when they sign and the remainder is paid in installments over the length of the agreement.
Reuters did not view the sponsorship contracts, but those familiar with the deals said every contract differs and the delay of the Tokyo Games may not necessarily trigger any obligation for the IOC.
Some sponsorship deals might require the IOC to provide “make good” compensation to its sponsors for a postponement of one year or more, lawyers said.
Make goods might include product placements for manufacturers of consumer goods, promotional footage or “meet and greet” events during the Olympics, said Eric Bergner, a lawyer for Manatt, Phelps & Phillips in New York.
Even with sweeteners, some companies may find it difficult to remain in long-term pricey contracts as the spread of coronavirus takes a huge toll on the global economy, one senior media executive said. “Nothing is off the table.”
McDonald’s Corp pulled out of its long-term Olympics sponsorship in 2017 when the restaurant chain was overhauling operations and cutting costs.
“I think it is definitely a possibility that some sponsors may seek to terminate their sponsorship entirely, based on overriding hardships,” said James Johnston, a partner at law firm Davis and Gilbert, which represents a current top IOC sponsor.
Michael Lynch, a partner at sports marketing company 3 Emerald Marketing, said the IOC likely will work with sponsors even if it is not required to.
“The IOC has an obligation to respect the integrity and spirit of the agreements, which was delivering a Winter and Summer Games within a four-year period,” said Lynch, who has worked on Olympic sponsorship deals, including 17 years with Visa Inc.
“The last thing the IOC will do is be at odds with the commercial organisations that partner to fund these Games,” he said.
World football governing body, FIFA, today clocks its 122nd anniversary, celebrating more than a century of overseeing and expanding the global game.
Founded on May 21, 1904, in Paris, France, FIFA began with just seven member associations — France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
From that modest beginning, the organisation has grown into the most influential sports governing body in the world, with 211 member associations spread across all continents.
Over the decades, FIFA has transformed football into a truly global phenomenon through competitions such as the FIFA World Cup, Women’s World Cup, Club World Cup, youth tournaments, and developmental programmes aimed at growing the game worldwide.
The organisation has also witnessed remarkable milestones, including the expansion of the men’s World Cup from 13 teams in 1930 to 48 teams beginning from the 2026 edition to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
FIFA’s journey has equally reflected football’s growing influence beyond sport, with the game becoming a major tool for diplomacy, social inclusion, youth empowerment, and economic development across the world.
As FIFA celebrates 122 years of existence, attention is now focused on the future of the game, technological innovations, expanded competitions, women’s football growth, and the continued globalisation of football.
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UEFA has issued a lifetime ban to Petr Vlachovsky, a Czech women’s soccer coach who secretly filmed his players, the governing body announced on Tuesday.
Czech media reported that the coach was convicted in May 2025 and initially received a suspended one-year prison sentence and a five-year domestic coaching ban for filming FC Slovacko’s players in changing rooms, the youngest of whom was 17.
In a statement, UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) said it had decided to ban Vlachovsky “from exercising any football-related activity for life” following the appointment of an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to investigate allegations of potential misconduct.
“The CEDB further decided to request FIFA to extend the abovementioned ban on a worldwide level and to order the Football Association of the Czech Republic to revoke Mr Petr Vlachovsky’s coaching licence,” the statement added.
FC Slovacko did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Football players’ union FIFPRO welcomed the ban as well as UEFA’s request for world soccer governing body FIFA to impose an international ban on Vlachovsky.
“This outcome sends a strong and necessary message that abusive and inappropriate behaviour has no place in football and that safeguarding the well-being of players must remain a priority at every level of the game,” FIFPRO added in a statement.
Vlachovsky had also previously served as coach of the Czech women’s Under-19s team.
RELATED STORY: https://sportsvillagesquare.com/2026/04/08/outrage-as-male-coach-who-secretly-filmed-women-players-still-free-to-work-in-football/
-Reuters
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Southampton have been kicked out of the Championship playoff final after being found guilty of spying on semi-final opponents Middlesbrough, the English Football League said on Tuesday.
Middlesbrough, who lost 2-1 to Southampton on aggregate in the semi, have been reinstated and will face Hull City on Saturday in what is dubbed the world’s richest soccer match.
Promotion to the Premier League, even with an immediate relegation, is estimated to be worth in the region of 200 million pounds ($268.10 million) over three seasons.
Southampton, who admitted the charges, were also found guilty of filming training sessions involving Oxford United in December and Ipswich Town in April during the regular season.
They have also been deducted four points from the start of next season in England’s second tier.
“An Independent Disciplinary Commission has today expelled Southampton from the Championship play-offs after the club admitted multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training,” the EFL said.
“Southampton admitted breaches of Regulations requiring Clubs to act with the utmost good faith and prohibiting the observation of another Club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match.
“The effect of today’s order is that Middlesbrough are reinstated into the 2026 play-offs and will proceed to the play-off final against Hull City. The final remains scheduled for Saturday 23 May, with the kick-off time to be confirmed.”
The EFL confirmed that Southampton could appeal against the decision and that “parties are working to try and resolve any appeal on Wednesday 20 May.
“Subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to Saturday’s fixture,” the statement said.
‘BORO CALLED FOR SOUTHAMPTON EXPULSION
Middlesbrough had called for Southampton’s expulsion after having a training session at their Rockliffe Park site filmed 48 hours ahead of the first leg of their playoff semi-final with Southampton which ended 0-0.
The north-east club said they welcomed the decision.
“We believe this sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct,” the north Middlesbrough said in a statement.
“As a club, we are now focused on our game against Hull City at Wembley on Saturday.”
Southampton were relegated from the Premier League last season and were struggling in the early part of this campaign until a storming finish in which they went unbeaten in 19 league games to finish fourth and enter the playoffs.
The south-coast club are the first to fall foul of the Football League’s regulation 127 — brought in after Leeds United were found guilty of spying on Derby County seven years ago, an offence for which they were fined 200,000 pounds.
-Reuters
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