The Beijing Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games (BOCOG) announced that it will launch an international tender in mid-2003 that will decide who will sponsor the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games.
According to a published report, sources from the BCOG revealed that it has employed an institution to investigate more than 40 Chinese leading companies in 19 industries, including automobile, telecommunications, computer, household electrical appliance, beer, and pharmaceutical manufacturers.
Tang Long, vice-secretary-general of the Beijing municipal government, said that according to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) regulations, each session of the Olympics should be sponsored by 10 to 12 world-class companies from various industries.
And the organizing committee of the host nation has the right to select 10 to 15 other sponsors in a fair and transparent way.
Tang said, “the sponsors for the 2008 Olympic Games will be divided into four categories based on the size of their sponsorship deal. Sponsors in various categories will enjoy different rights and interests”.
The 10 to 12 global sponsors, authorized by the IOC, are expected to be determined within several months.
Coca-Cola, Swatch and Kodak have already signed contracts with the IOC to act as global sponsors for Beijing 2008.
