IOC awards 2014-2016 broadcast rights

Lausanne, Jan 15, 2014: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has awarded the broadcast rights in Sub-Saharan Africa* to Infront Sports & Media AG for the XXII Olympic Winter Games in 2014 in Sochi, Russia, the Games of the XXXI Olympiad in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and the 2nd Summer Youth Olympic Games in 2014 in Nanjing, China.

Infront has acquired exclusive broadcast rights on free to air television and non-exclusive internet and mobile broadcast rights.

IOC President Thomas Bach said: “This agreement reflects the global appeal of the Olympic Games, and our aim is to reach audiences in all regions across the globe with the best broadcast offering. We want to not only generate viewership for sports where African athletes already perform successfully, but also boost appeal for Olympic sports gaining popularity on the continent.”

IOC member Richard Carrión, who led the negotiations, said: “Infront has acquired the rights and will now work to sub license those rights to broadcasters in the region to ensure excellent coverage of the Olympic Games for sports fans. The partnership with Infront allows us to take advantage of its network across the continent, supported further by a tailor-made editorial plan for African broadcasters and their viewers. ”

Stephan Herth, Executive Director Summer Sports of Infront Sports & Media, said: “We would like to thank the IOC for trusting in our broadcast distribution experience and ability to extend the spirit and scope of Olympic programming to an even broader audience. Our ambition is to encourage the growth of sport in Africa with a dedicated broadcast product and continue to advocate the Olympics as a worldwide event. We are looking forward to delivering the Winter Olympics to television screens in so many countries in Africa for the first time in 2014.”

* Includes:

1. Angola

2. Benin

3. Botswana

4. Burkina Faso

5. Burundi

6. Cameroon

7. Cape Verde

8. Central Africa Republic

9. Chad

10. Comoros

11. Congo, Democratic Republic of

12. Congo, Republic of

13. Côte d’Ivoire

14. Equatorial Guinea

15. Eritrea

16. Ethiopia

17. Gabon

18. Gambia

19. Ghana

20. Guinea

21. Guinea-Bissau

22. Kenya

23. Lesotho

24. Liberia

25. Madagascar

26. Malawi

27. Mali

28. Mauritius

29. Mozambique

30. Namibia

31. Niger

32. Nigeria

33. Rwanda

34. São Tomé and Príncipe

35. Senegal

36. Seychelles

37. Sierra Leone

38. Swaziland

39. Tanzania

40. Togo

41. Uganda

42. Zambia

43. Zimbabwe. —- IOC