AIMS ANNOUNCES SIX YEAR SPONSORSHIP DEAL WITH SEGAS

The world running organisation the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS), announced on 10 December 2014 at a media conference in Athens, Greece, a six year sponsorship agreement from 2015 – 2020, with the Hellenic Athletics Federation (SEGAS), Greece's governing body for athletics.

 
This agreement will see SEGAS hold the position of major sponsor for AIMS, promote GREECE as Patron sponsor for the next six years and also secures the physical presence of the AIMS Headquarters in Athens, Greece at OACA Stadium on Spyros Louis Avenue for the next six years.
 
 Kostas Panagopoulos, President of SEGAS commented:
 
"The co-operation of SEGAS with AIMS started eight years ago, and the first result was a new symbol, that of ‘marathon flame' and of course a new institution, the annual AIMS Symposium, which brings together marathon organisers all over the world every year in Athens. This positive development helped this effort and the Headquarters of AIMS have been established in Athens. Our relationship was further enhanced in recent years by organising in Athens, the AIMS Best Marathon Runner Award Gala.

All these activities are not only taking place because they promote the international image of The Athens Marathon the Authentic but they promote Greece and its history and culture as the birthplace of the Marathon. When we found out that the company that was previously the AIMS Patron couldn't continue this relationship, we decided to take over this role.
 
"So I would like to announce to you that SEGAS will be the Major Sponsor of AIMS for the next 6 years and by this agreement we ensure the presence of AIMS Headquarters in Athens and the visibility of our country. SEGAS will have all the sponsorship benefits through this agreement and through that we will promote our country Greece."
 
Paco Borao, AIMS President commented:
 
"On behalf of the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) I would like to thank the Hellenic Athletics Federation (SEGAS) for the partnership contract agreed between both entities for the period 2015 – 2020. This comes after a three year sponsorship with OPAP S.A. and I would like to take this opportunity to thank OPAP S.A. for their support which enabled AIMS to initiate its residence in Athens.
 
"I would also like to extend my thanks to the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports and the Ministry of Tourism, the Olympic Athletic Center of Athens OACA and the Athens Marathon, the Authentic for their contribution to the success of this AIMS-SEGAS agreement. Thank you all again.
 
"For AIMS and its 380+ members, there could not be a better solution than keeping our office Headquarters in Athens, at the Spyros Louis Avenue; the marathon legend was born at Marathon, the marathon race aura brought here at the 1st Olympic Games in Athens, and its name  remains alive thanks to the Athens Marathon, the Authentic competition. Easy then to understand that an Association like ours made to "foster and promote marathons and distance running throughout the world" could not have a more natural location than Athens to establish its Headquarters.
 
"We remain committed primarily to fair-play when driving our activities, something which in this case calls for the recognition of our privilege and our gratitude to SEGAS with who we share all the sporting and social values best represented by the marathon itself. In this case, as already proved in the last three years, AIMS will make all efforts to contribute to expanding through our Association the image of our sponsors SEGAS with whom we share common ideas and projects within the running activities, and Greece, which means in this case the overall image of Greece: the History of this wonderful country, the magnificence of its monuments and countryside, the recognition of sporting values like peace, health, and solidarity"
 
About AIMS

AIMS is a member based organisation and since being established in 1982 has grown to a membership of more than 380 of the world's leading distance races, from over 101 countries and territories. AIMS Members come from every continent on the planet and include the Athens Marathon, the Authentic formed on the legend of Pheidippides, the Greek soldier-runner who ran from the town of Marathon to Athens in 490 BC to announce the Persians had been defeated in the ‘Battle of Marathon'.

Other AIMS members include many of the world's greatest distance races in history such as the Berlin, Boston and Chicago Marathons.

The three key objectives of AIMS are:

1.             To foster and promote distance running throughout the world
2.             To work with the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF) on all matters relating to international road races.
3.             To exchange information, knowledge and expertise among members of the association
 
Please find enclosed a photograph, free of copyright (subject to giving photo credit to Actionimages), featuring Marketing Advisor Makis Asimakopoulos (left), AIMS President Paco Borao (center) and President of SEGAS Kostas Panagopoulos (right) on the occasion of the signing of the six year agreement between SEGAS and AIMS. The image is available for download by clicking here.
 

• Further information on AIMS can be found on the website: https://www.aimsworldrunning.org/.
• For more information on The Hellenic Association of Amateur Athletics (SEGAS), please see https://www.segas.gr

Peter McLean,
Director of Public Relations
Association of International Marathons & Distance Races