Allianz and IPC Athletics extend global partnership until end of 2016

“Allianz are a very trusted and reliable friend of the Paralympic Movement, and I know both of us benefitted greatly from our partnership last year.”

IPC Athletics, the international federation of para-athletics, and financial services provider Allianz SE have extended their partnership agreement until the end of 2016 and will also sponsor a number of major upcoming events, including October’s World Championships.

Under the terms of the new agreement, Allianz will support at least three Grand Prix events in both 2015 and 2016, and will be a tier one partner for October’s World Championships in Doha, Qatar, as well as the June 2016’s European Championships in Grosseto, Italy.

Having supported the IPC Athletics Grand Prix in Brisbane, Australia, earlier this month, Allianz will also support May’s Grand Prix in Nottwil, Switzerland, and June’s event in Berlin, Germany.

Sir Philip Craven, IPC President, said: “Having signed Allianz as IPC Athletics’ first global partner in 2014, we are overjoyed to extend our partnership with them until the end of 2016 and announce them as the first tier one sponsor of our World and European Championships.

“Allianz are a very trusted and reliable friend of the Paralympic Movement, and I know both of us benefitted greatly from our partnership last year.

“Working together with Allianz we will maximise awareness of our events and the para-athletes who take part in them. The sport of para-athletics continues to grow in size and scale each year and this will only continue as we edge closer to the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games and I am delighted that Allianz will be with us every step of the way.”

“We are very delighted and extremely happy to continue our partnership with IPC Athletics,” said Joe K. Gross, Global Head of Group Market Management of Allianz SE and long-time para-sport enthusiast. “Last year’s success of the partnered Grand Prix and the European Championships was a huge encouragement to pursue our engagement for para-sport. Our ambition is to change people’s perception towards the topic of disability, further raise awareness for the Paralympic Movement, its goals and ideals as well as give athletes the opportunity to showcase their excellence.”

Allianz’s support of the Paralympic Movement dates back to 2006, when it became a global partner of IPC Athletics for the first time in 2014. Last year the company supported Grand Prix events in Nottwil, Berlin and Grosseto, as well as August’s European Championships in Swansea, Great Britain. As well as global involvement, 12 local Allianz companies support National Paralympic Committees in Argentina, Australia, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Slovakia, Sri Lanka and Switzerland. During this long-standing and mutually beneficial co-operation, Allianz has helped to foster public awareness and generate a greater interest in Paralympic sport in general.

October’s IPC Athletics World Championships in Doha is expected to attract around 1,300 athletes from 90 countries, whilst next year’s European Championships will draw 700 athletes from 40 countries just three months before the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.