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.
FIFA’s independent Ethics Committee has banned former Guyana Football Federation (GFF) General Secretary Ian Alves from all football-related activities for five years after finding he sexually harassed female staff members.
FIFA also fined Alves 20,000 Swiss francs ($22,000) after determining that he had breached provisions of the FIFA Code of Ethics relating to the protection of physical and mental integrity, abuse of position and general duties.
“FIFA has a strict stance against all forms of abuse in football,” the organisation said on Monday.
The decision followed a review of written statements from the victims, documents provided by the GFF, submissions from Alves, and other evidence gathered during the investigation.
Alves stepped down from his position in 2024.
The ban came into force on Monday, when the terms of the decision were notified to Alves, and the full grounds for the ruling will be communicated within 60 days in accordance with the Code of Ethics, FIFA added.
The GFF did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Alves could not immediately be reached for comment.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday that he planned to seek re-election for a fourth term in a bid to continue to lead the governing body of world soccer.
Infantino confirmed he would run for the 2027–2031 term in the closing moments of the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, which comes less than two months before the start of the World Cup.
The election will be held on March 18 in Morocco, which is set to co-host the 2030 World Cup.
Infantino said he was “honoured and humbled” to have the chance to run for a fourth term.
The Italian-Swiss took office in 2016, replacing Sepp Blatter, and was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023.
Infantino has pushed for the expansion of FIFA competitions during his tenure, with this year’s World Cup in North America the first to feature 48 teams, while the women’s tournament in 2023 has been expanded to 32 teams.
Infantino’s tenure has also drawn some criticism over issues such as high World Cup ticket prices and the decision to award the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to U.S. President Donald Trump at the World Cup draw in December.
Earlier this month, the council of South American football’s governing body (CONMEBOL) said in a statement it would unanimously support the 56-year-old if he decided to seek another term.
-Reuters
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The supporters of Vancouver Whitecaps, a professional football (soccer) club in Canada, have staged a protest outside the FIFA Congress on Thursday, voicing fears that the Major League Soccer club could be relocated as uncertainty deepens over its ownership and long-term future.
The club is one of Canada’s most historic football institutions and has long been a central part of Vancouver’s sporting identity.
Around 100 fans gathered as delegates arrived for the annual FIFA meeting in Vancouver, chanting, singing and waving club flags in a show of solidarity. The demonstration comes just days after Vancouver Whitecaps FC revealed difficulties in securing a buyer willing to keep the club in the city.
The Whitecaps disclosed earlier this week that “stadium economics, venue access and revenue limitations” have complicated efforts to sell the club, despite a 16-month search for new ownership.
Season ticket holder Derek Hawksworth said supporters felt compelled to act amid growing fears of relocation.
“I wanted to come down given the threat of the team possibly moving,” he said. “It’s a rich history with the Whitecaps in North America… we want Vancouver to stay and not relocate. The history is here, and we want to continue with that history moving forward.”
The Vancouver Whitecaps are a professional football (soccer) club based in Vancouver, Canada. They currently compete in Major League Soccer (MLS), the top-tier league in the United States and Canada.
Concerns were heightened by reports that cities such as Las Vegas and Phoenix are leading contenders should the club relocate.
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has urged intervention, calling on the provincial government — which owns BC Place — to negotiate a “bridge deal” that would allow the team to remain while plans for a new stadium are explored. The club’s current lease at BC Place expires at the end of the year.
Despite the off-field uncertainty, the Whitecaps have been one of the standout teams this MLS season. They currently sit second in the Western Conference with 24 points from nine matches, just three points behind the San Jose Earthquakes.
For supporters, however, performances on the pitch offer little comfort as the future of their club hangs in the balance — a situation they hope global football leaders gathering in Vancouver will not ignore.
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