Bell Strengthening Canadian Olympic Connection

Trusted Canadian telecommunication leader Bell Canada is extending its support for Canadian Olympic Athletes beyond London 2012 for an additional four years, the Canadian Olympic Committee announced today.

“Bell is with us in everything we do and we could not ask for a better Partner,” said Marcel Aubut, president of the Canadian Olympic Committee from a press conference at Canada Olympic House in London, UK. “Since Vancouver, their outstanding leadership among our family of partners has continued and today, we are very excited to announce our ongoing relationship with Bell, a key member of Canada’s Olympic family.”

"Bell is proud to renew our longstanding commitment to the Canadian Olympic Committee and the athletes that represent the best of Canada. We’re especially excited that the Canadian Olympic Committee will join Bell in making mental health a cornerstone of its philanthropic focus, bringing the conversation about mental health to schools across Canada,” said George Cope, President and CEO of Bell Canada and BCE. “Bell is also pleased to extend Bell Athletes Connect, the only program of its kind by a telecom sponsor worldwide that provides nationally carded athletes with free mobile services, allowing our Canadian athletes to stay in touch with their support network – family, friends, coaches and fellow athletes.”

The agreement encompasses several components: Building on its previous success, Bell’s Athletes Connect program will be expanded into a more robust program for athletes to stay connected with coaches, families and with Canadians.

In addition, Bell is joining with the Canadian Olympic Team in the construction of a social media delivery platform to help athletes to connect with athletes and with Canadians, using the power of Bell technology.

Bell and the COC will also join forces to heighten the conversation around mental fitness through the Canada Olympic Schools Program and other Canadian Olympic Team initiatives.

In addition, Bell will make a targeted contribution through programs which aim to strengthen high performance sport in Canada.

“Athletes are out there training and it’s not like any of us are getting up and down from a desk and a computer all day long,” said 2008 Olympic gold medal rower Adam Kreek. “The Bell Athletes Connect program is awesome because staying connected is just one less thing to worry about. It means that we don’t have to worry about staying connected to all the people we care about – and who care about us – and lets us focus on training.”

The renewed sponsorship agreement extends the current agreement to 2016, continuing to deliver essential support for Canadian Olympic athletes heading to Sochi 2014, through to Rio 2016 and beyond.