BETFAIR TO SPONSOR BRITISH ATHLETICS


Three year agreement to educate athletes signed.
 
The British Athletes Commission (BAC) has signed a 3 year agreement with online gambling group Betfair, establishing the betting firm as the Commission’s first ever official sponsor.
 
The two organisations will seek to educate and raise awareness among elite athletes in all Olympic, Paralympic and world class disciplines regarding betting related issues and the role they can play in preventing corruption in sport.
 
“The BAC is delighted to announce Betfair as its first sponsor, their support will be vital in ensuring athletes receive a key strand in their ongoing education, as Olympic and Paralympic sport becomes ever more professional,” said Pete Gardner, chief executive of the BAC.
 
Karen Pickering, the BAC chairperson added: “At a time when the IOC has just agreed on a series of recommendations for Olympic sport, I am delighted that the BAC will be working with Betfair to educate British athletes in how they can prevent corruption and protect the integrity of sport.”
 
David Yu, the chief executive at Betfair, commented: “We are delighted to be working with the BAC, a vital step in our ongoing efforts to safeguard the integrity of sport.  We have seen that there are very few integrity issues when betting on sport is entirely transparent, and when sportsmen and women understand the rules in place and the penalties for breaking them.
 
“This partnership gives us a unique opportunity to work together in educating athletes in the run up to the 2012 Olympics in London.”
 
The project came about after the BAC approached Betfair, which will assist by producing educational material and presenting at the next BAC conference.