Bangkok--5 Sep--124 Communications
A special organisation needs a special friend and none is more deserving of one than Special Olympics, the international non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with intellectual disabilities.
ESPN STAR Sports, Asia’s number one sports broadcaster, announced today that it will commit the full might of its Asia-wide organisation to help promote the organisation’s programmes in the region. With 13 networks across 25 countries, ESPN STAR Sports is well-positioned to deliver the Special Olympics message across Asia, including calling upon the services of sporting legends who have built a special relationship with the network over the years.
Mr. Timothy P. Shriver, Chairman of Special Olympics International said, “We have been expanding and developing many programs in the Asia Pacific region recently and have always had the goal to reach out to significantly many more people with intellectual disabilities worldwide. We have just reached 2 million athletes participating in 150 countries. Yet there are nearly 170 million more waiting. In addition, our message has to extend to the mass public in a much more powerful and significant way. ESPN STAR Sports can make that happen.”
Mr. Troy Greisen, Managing Director of Special Olympics Asia Pacific added, “We are absolutely thrilled about this partnership with ESPN STAR Sports as it is a great opportunity for us to spread the word and inspire people throughout Asia to get involved and support Special Olympics. ESPN STAR Sports is the most powerful medium for us to achieve this, as it’s the premier sports network in Asia. Not only does ESPN STAR Sports reach millions of viewers whose lives can be touched by our message and hopefully become supporters, it is also a great platform to showcase the ability of our Special Olympics athletes alongside other world class athletes.”
Commenting on the network’s decision to support Special Olympics, Mr. Jamie Davis, Managing Director, ESPN STAR Sports said: “Special Olympics is indeed a very special organisation. Its ideals are something we are very attracted to and something we want to fully support. Nothing will be more satisfying than to be able to play a small part in changing the lives of these special athletes.”
“ESPN STAR Sports’ commitment will not stop at producing and broadcasting the flagship events of Special Olympics, which will start with the cricket tournament in Mumbai. ESPN and STAR Sports will also run public service announcements to increase the awareness of people with intellectual disabilities and its staff will actively work with the Special Olympics athletes through volunteer coaching programs,” Mr. Davis added.
Among the media programmes lined up by ESPN STAR Sports is the television production and broadcast of the 1st Special Olympics International Cricket Cup, which will be held in Mumbai from November 6-13, 2006. Twelve men’s and three women’s teams will take part in the inaugural competition, involving 272 athletes and more than 600 volunteers, coaches and officials. The countries taking part in this inaugural event are Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the West Indies. Female teams from India and Pakistan will also take part in this event.
Among the sporting stars who have stepped forward to lend their support to ESPN STAR Sports’ commitment to Special Olympics are legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar and current Indian national cricketers such as skipper Rahul Dravid, Irfan Pathan and Mohammad Kaif. Tailor-made public service announcements have been created by ESPN STAR Sports featuring these Indian cricket legends and will be aired across the networks. Other famous sporting personalities across South East Asia have also committed to come on board to support this cause, of which details will be announced at a later date.
About lending his name to the cause of Special Olympics, Mr Sunil Gavaskar, living legend and ESPN STAR Sports commentator said, “As a sportsman, getting involved in a cause as big as this, especially since it is about speaking for a group of athletes and promoting their cause throughout Asia, is perhaps one of the main highlights of my career. If I am able to help achieve the goals that Special Olympics are looking for, then, it will perhaps even surpass what I have achieved in cricket.”
ESPN STAR Sports India Managing Director, R C Venkateish said: “Our network has a huge presence in India and we are looking forward to achieving something very important for Special Olympics in Asia. The continent has its own special athletes and through the powerful mediums of sports and television, we can help Asia play a more important role in helping people with intellectual disabilities.”
Among the upcoming events that ESPN STAR Sports will be promoting is the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai, China, from October 10-19 next year. It will be the first time the summer games will be held in Asia, the second time outside the United States, and more than 30,000 athletes and officials from 175 countries are expected to take part. ESPN STAR Sports has committed to broadcast portions of the games throughout Asia.
ESPN STAR Sports is a 50:50 joint venture between two of the world’s leading cable and satellite broadcasters, ESPN Inc. and STAR. We are Asia’s complete sports provider reaching over 138 million households for ESPN and over 64 million households for STAR Sports through our networks - ESPN Asia, ESPN India, ESPN Taiwan, ESPN Philippines, MBC-ESPN (Korea), ESPN Hong Kong, Xing Kong Sports, STAR Sports India, STAR Sports Taiwan, STAR Sports S.E.A and STAR Sports Hong Kong. We bring the world’s premier live sports and leading regional events to viewers 24 hours a day. On the ground, the ESPN STAR Sports Event Management Group manages and promotes premier sporting events around Asia, including the Asian X Games and the San Miguel Asian 9Ball Tour. On-line, espnstar.com, espnstar.com.cn and espnstar.com.tw interact with millions of users providing them with in-depth sports news, results and competitions. This multilingual, online platform which is closely integrated with ESPN and STAR Sports on air networks, has established the sites as the number one on-line sports destination in their respective markets.
Mission of Special Olympics
The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic —type sports for children and adults with intellectual disability, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills, and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.
For further information, please contact:
Chaiwat Simawattana, 124 Communications, Tel: 0-2662-2266 ext. 237