Sports
IOC, Visa extend partnership to 2020
MUMBAI: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced an extension to its current partnership with credit card major Visa through to 2020.
The announcement was made at a signing ceremony held in Moscow, Russia, which was attended by IOC president Jacques Rogge; Visa Group president Rupert Keeley and Sochi 2014 president and CEO Dmitry Chernyshenko.
In 1986, Visa became one of the founding members of the Worldwide TOP Partner programme. The announcement means Visa will continue as the exclusive payment services sponsor for the Olympic Games and the only card accepted through to 2020.
Rogge saus, “Our partnership with Visa demonstrates a shared commitment – to the future of youth and sport, to the future of the Olympic Games and to the strengthening of the Olympic ideals and values we respect. On behalf of the IOC, the 205 National Olympic Committees around the world, and the athletes themselves, I would like to thank Visa, its clients and partners for their commitment through to the 2020 Olympic Games.”
IOC Marketing Commission chairman Gerhard Heiberg says, “The staging of the Olympic Games, as well as the operations of the Olympic Movement as a whole, would not be possible without the support of our TOP Partners, and we are delighted that Visa will continue to be a key partner for the Olympic Movement. As an organisation, Visa is a leader not only in the world of global payment technology, but also in its support for sports events and athletes around the world.”
Visa CEO and president Joseph Saunders says, “The Olympic Games transcend political and geographical boundaries to deliver incomparable international exposure and broad-based audience interest appealing to virtually every demographic. They stand as one of the premier sporting and cultural events in the world and we are delighted to extend our sponsorship through to 2020.”
Sports
Ashish Limaye bags gold and bronze at Montelibretti 2026 event
Indian rider shines in Italy, gains ground ahead of higher-level tests
MUMBAI: Ashish Limaye delivered a strong performance on the international stage, clinching both gold and bronze at the FEI Eventing Competition Montelibretti 2026 held in Italy earlier this month.
Competing against riders from across the globe, Limaye secured the top podium finish in the CCI 2 Long Format riding Easy Turn, registering a score of 30.2 in a field that featured participants from five nations. He followed it up with a bronze medal in the CCI 2 Short Format aboard Willy Be Dun, scoring 32 in a much larger and highly competitive pool of 66 riders representing nine countries.
Reflecting on the outing, Fédération Equestre Internationale event rider Ashish Limaye said, “Riding at Montelibretti was amazing. To compete with such talented riders from around the world was fantastic. I’m really happy with the results and the effort our team has put in.”
Beyond the podium finishes, Limaye also achieved a milestone result on D’Avril du Pinier, earning a Minimum Eligibility Requirement, bringing him closer to qualifying for the FEI World Equestrian Games.
While the Montelibretti competition was not a direct qualifier for major multi-sport events, it serves as a crucial stepping stone as Limaye prepares to move up to the more demanding CCI 3 level.
With momentum firmly on his side, the Indian rider now looks set to build on this success as he targets bigger stages in the global equestrian circuit.
