adidas is an Official Supporter of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Games
Athens / Amsterdam / Herzogenaurach, March 17, 2004 - adidas announced today that it will be an Official Supporter of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Games. Under the agreement with the Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games adidas will supply uniforms for all the ATHENS 2004 workforce (staff and volunteers) and Technical Officials of the Athens 2004 and Paralympic Games. adidas furthermore produced all uniforms for the Olympic Torch Relay.
"adidas is proud and honored to play a major part when the world's biggest and most exciting sports celebration event returns to its birthplace," said adidas-Salomon CEO Herbert Hainer. "adidas has been a part of the Olympic Movement ever since our founder Adi Dassler produced his first pair of sprint spikes for an Olympic athlete back in 1928. The Games of the XXVIII Olympiad will once again be worldwide visible proof of our dedication to athletes, products, innovation and leadership."
"We at ATHENS 2004 are looking forward to share with the world a unique Olympic Homecoming. While we are working towards delivering technically excellent games, we strongly believe that adidas will provide the best products to help ATHOC volunteers and staff perform at their best!" stated Mrs Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, ATHENS 2004 President.
adidas has already secured its position as one of the leading brands at the Olympic Games. adidas outfits 21 National Olympic Committees, including host nation Greece, the USA, Germany, Great Britain, France and Cuba. In total, more than 4,000 athletes will compete in three stripes and adidas will provide products for 26 out of the 28 Olympic sports including the Official Game Balls for the Football and Handball Tournament.
Record-setting swimmer star Ian Thorpe (Australia), high jumper Hestrie Cloete (South Africa), running legend Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia), weightlifter Pyrros Dimas (Greece), 100m World Champion Kim Collins (St. Kitts and Nevis), Olympic Sprint Champion Maurice Greene (USA) and the record-breaking decathlete Roman Sebrle (Czech Republic) are among the adidas gold medal hopes that will debut adidas' latest innovations in footwear and apparel at the Olympic Games.
adidas' Olympic tradition goes back to 1928, when adidas founder Adi Dassler created the first products for athletes to compete in Amsterdam. Ever since, the history of adidas and the Olympic Games has been closely linked. Olympic greats such as Jesse Owens, Emil Zatopek, Wilma Rudolph, Bob Beamon, Dick Fosbury, Nadia Comaneci and Haile Gebrselassie marked milestones in athletic achievement in adidas products.