‘More than a sponsorship’

THE NATION’S athletes competing for a place at the Olympic Games are set to benefit from a significant injection of resources, which comes by way of an $80-million, five-year partnership between the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) and its newest sponsor, Red Stripe.

Daaf van Tilburg, managing director of the beer manufacturing company, and Christopher Samuda, president of JOA, inked the deal to much applause at Red Stripe’s Spanish Town Road headquarters on Tuesday.

Noting how he has witnessed first-hand Jamaicans’ passion for celebration, van Tilburg highlighted that the sheer prospects of the partnership made being joyous worthy, given the opportunities likely to unfold for athletes whose preparation will vary.

“… This partnership is more than a sponsorship; it is a long-term commitment that signifies Red Stripe’s deep dedication to communities, the development of sports in Jamaica and a toast to the winning spirit that runs through the DNA of every single Jamaican,” van Tilburg said.

“As the official beer of Jamaica, we recognise the value of this collaboration,” he added. “It aligns with national pride, allows for global visibility, reinforces positive values, facilitates engagement with the community, fosters fan engagement, and creates a lasting impact.”

Samuda and his general secretary/CEO, Ryan Foster, has transformed the JOA to facilitate greater opportunities for sportsmen and sportswomen across a wide scale of sporting disciplines with enhanced preparation in-competition and training.

They have been able to do this by joining forces with partners, to complement funding provided by sports’ world governing body, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), for athlete development.

Welcoming their latest supporter, Samuda underscored the importance of the contribution on an individual and collective level.

“From birth, through infancy, transitioning into adolescence and emerging on to adulthood, sport is the DNA of human aspirations and defining of relationships on and off the field of play. And whereas textbook education is indispensable to the intellect of a nation, sport is genetic to the human spirit and soul of a nation. That’s why the JOA has grasped the willing hand of Red Stripe in constructing today’s and tomorrow’s sporting legacy,” Samuda said.

“That’s why, with a deepening sense of history and a premonition of the future, I continue to make the call for nationhood in sport; for a people to understand that investment in sport is not a hobby, it’s not recreation or photographed, filmed caricaturing for personal profiles. It is a business vocation of physical culture. It is craftsmanship of our physical assets from which social and economic dividends are derived,” the JOA president emphasised.

“The infrastructure of sport is weeping for an oasis of strategic funding – the right investor and the right investment. Welcome Red Stripe to the Olympic investment forum,” he added.

Sean Wallace, Red Stripe’s head of commerce, said the multimillion-dollar commitment will provide much-needed support for the JOA to execute its mandate of helping to prepare Jamaica’s athletes for the world’s biggest stage.

“Red Stripe’s support will help to cover expenses related to training, procurement equipment, travel expenses, and other administrative support that the JOA believes will give our athletes the foundation they need to deliver their absolute best in their respective sport,” Wallace said.

“At Red Stripe we have always been committed to supporting Jamaica and what matters to Jamaicans,” he added. “Through this partnership, we get to continue that great tradition, standing proudly behind our nation’s sporting talent, whether it is on the track, the field, in the pool or on the court.”