Tokyo Olympics 2020: JSW signs deal with IOA to become Team India's sponsor 

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the JSW Group have announced a new sponsorship agreement that will see the Indian conglomerate come onboard as an official sponsor for Team India ahead of the Tokyo Olympic Games. Under the terms of the agreement, JSW will offer sponsorship support to the tune of INR 1 crore to the IOA for the Tokyo Olympics.

READ: Revealed - Official Team India kit for 2020 Tokyo Olympics

The Tokyo Olympics 2020 will mark a centenary to Team India’s first participation in the quadrennial sporting extravaganza.

JSW to replace Li Ning on the jersey?

The JSW Group has ownership interests in the Delhi Capitals (IPL), Bengaluru FC (ISL) and Haryana Steelers (PKL), and also led the establishment of the Inspire Institute of Sport in Bellary. They had previously signed an agreement with the IOA to set up the first ever Indian Olympic Hospitality House during the Olympic Games in Tokyo, originally scheduled for the summer of 2020.

Regarding the partnership with the IOA, Parth Jindal of JSW said:

“The JSW Group has been a vocal supporter of the Olympic Movement in India over the past decade and I am very pleased to formalize our association with the IOA ahead of what promises to be a memorable Olympics for Team India. We were looking forward to hosting the first ever ‘India House’ at the Tokyo Games and had made significant progress on that front, but given the circumstances, this is our way of showing our support to all Indian athletes heading to Tokyo next month.”

Dr. Narinder Dhruv Batra, President-IOA, welcomed the JSW Group to the IOA’s portfolio of sponsors for Tokyo 2020:

“JSW Group coming on board as a sponsor for the Tokyo Olympics 2020 is terrific news for the IOA and the entire Indian sports ecosystem. We are thrilled to include JSW Group in India’s Olympic journey in Tokyo and make our success a collective effort.”

IOA Secretary General Mr. Rajeev Mehta also expressed his delight at the partnership agreement. He said:

“The support extended by JSW Group further enables the IOA to provide a seamless experience for the athletes and management staff in their preparation for the Tokyo Olympics 2020. We are grateful for the support from such a reputed institution as JSW Group and welcome this as big step in boosting our preparation for the Olympics.”

Indian apparel company Shiv Naresh was recently roped in to replace Li Ning to design sporting kits for the Tokyo-bound Indian delegation.

The IOA had faced a lot of criticism for partnering with Chinese company Li Ning for the jerseys. Shiv Naresh was a regular kit supplier for IOA before the association switched to a contract worth INR 6 crore with the Chinese company. The Indian team will now be supplied jerseys made by Shiv Naresh with JSW branding.