FISU announce three-year partnership with major Olympic equipment supplier

The deal will see several sports at the 2017 Summer Universiade sponsored ©FISU

The International University Sports Federation (FISU) has signed a three-year partnership with Chinese firm the Taishan Sports Industry Group, a major Olympic equipment supplier.

The deal, described by FISU as “substantial”, will involve sponsorship for a number of sports on the programme of the World University Championships in 2016 and 2018, as well as the 2017 Summer Universiade, which will take place in Taiwan's capital Taipei.

With the global partnership set to run from January 2016 to December 2018, the two organisations are also set to focus their efforts on developing sports equipment and brand promotion at various FISU events, while another campaign will focus on "sport and knowledge".

The final joint project will see FISU collaborate with the company on "sports and innovation".

“Taishan groups around ten of the biggest Chinese sport related companies, with some of them pioneers in developing high technology sports equipment for research centres,” said Eric Saintrond, FISU secretary general and chief executive after signing the agreement.

FISU signed the agreement ahead of their General Assembly ©FISU

“It is interesting for FISU to have partners in the field of sports equipment but also in research and development and products linked with new high-level technology.

“The agreement is threefold with sports equipment for some of our sporting events, research and development for the universities and access to the development of new technology which will serve as a bridge towards university sports centres and student-athletes to collaborate with Taishan in a win-win situation.

“In other words the partnership will surely benefit the student-athletes and the local organising committees, but also the universities.”

Furthermore, the physical education department of universities will also receive sponsorship.

“After working and researching in the past 40 years, Taishan Sports Industry Group established its green and healthy concept of exercise and fitness based on scientific and technological innovation,” said Bian Zhiliang, the company's President.

“Nowadays, Taishan is the largest equipment supplier in the history of the Olympic Games, and now will also will cooperate with FISU to support the international university sports for the global development of health and sports.”