SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With the Opening Ceremony in Paris about two weeks away, Visa (NYSE: V), the Worldwide Payment Technology Partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, today announced its final roster of 147 Team Visa athletes for Paris 2024. Visa also shares ways to connect fans to the spirit of Paris 2024, both for those in attendance and those who want to participate at home.
“As the Worldwide Payment Technology Partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, we’re excited to integrate Visa products and platforms that create value for both the athlete and fan experience during Paris 2024,” said Frank Cooper, CMO, Visa. “The Team Visa athletes preparing to compete in the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 have consistently taken small steps over many years to reach this goal. We have supported these incredible athletes in their quest and want to help share their journeys with the world.”
Introducing Team Visa for Paris 2024
Founded in 2000, Team Visa has championed nearly 700 athletes over the last quarter century – each selected because of their athletic achievements, community involvement, and alignment with Visa’s core values of equality, access, and inclusion. Team Visa for Paris 2024 includes decorated Olympians and Paralympians like Simone Biles (USA, Gymnastics), Sky Brown (Great Britain, Skateboarding), Noah Lyles (USA, Athletics - Sprint) and Raissa Rocha Machado (Brazil, Para Athletics - Javelin) as well as first-timers like Shigeyuki Nakarai (Japan, Breaking) and Goodness Nwachukwu (Nigeria, Para Athletics - Discus). Team Visa also welcomes refugee athlete Dina Pouryounes (Taekwondo), forced to flee her homeland in the North of Iran to find refuge in The Netherlands.
“Visa has always been committed to empowering athletes on and off the track and it is great to see that in action,” said Noah Lyles. “I’m looking forward to getting in the blocks in Paris and putting it all out there. I have so much gratitude for my support system who has been with me every step of the way, including Team Visa.”
Team Visa by-the-numbers
- 147 athletes representing 67 countries, 40 sports, including the new Breaking competition, making this Visa’s largest, most diverse roster yet, and with 46 Paralympic athletes and hopefuls, our largest Paralympic roster to date
- 80 female and 67 male – underscoring Visa’s commitment to inclusion in sport
- Record breakers and world #1s like Iga Świątek (Poland, Tennis), PV Sindhu (India, Badminton), and Simone Biles (USA, Gymnastics)
- Newcomers and veterans alike, such as first-timers Qingyi Liu (China, Breaking) and Alexia Putellas (Spain, Football) and returners Kanoa Igarashi (Japan, Surfing) and Adam Peaty (Great Britain, Swimming)
Engaging fans in Paris and around the world
In the spirit of the theme “Pas Sans Vous,” or “Not Without You,” Visa is taking action to ensure everyone, everywhere can participate in Paris 2024:
- Visa Go, a new mobile application for Visa cardholders visiting the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024, offers access to unique experiences and exclusive content, spotlights Team Visa athletes and shares their progress during Paris 2024. The app will also offer a curated selection of discounts and offers from official partners and local shops and restaurants. Fans can purchase a virtual Visa prepaid card through Visa Go, if needed.
- Blending sports with culture, Visa has commissioned six global artists to create works of art to appear on billboards throughout Paris and other nearby host cities celebrating Paris 2024 and highlighting local commerce. In a tribute to Paris, the global capital for street art, pieces will appear on billboards in train stations, airports, the metro, and elsewhere around the cities to help support and promote local small businesses, who contribute to the city’s vitality. Participating artists include leading street artist from Seine-Saint-Denis Marko 93 (France); influential street artist and activist Swoon (USA); pioneering graffiti artist JonOne (USA); native Parisian artist Olivia De Bona (France); prolific colorblind street artist Alex Senna (Brazil); and multidisciplinary artist Vexta (Australia).
- A custom payment services solution that Visa has implemented for Paris 2024 will bring seamless contactless payment acceptance to 3,500 points of sale across 32 Olympic venues and 16 Paralympic venues.
- In recognition of Visa’s long-standing partnership with the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Paris 2024 proudly accepts only Visa for card and mobile payments, along with cash, at Olympic and Paralympic venues as well as the flagship Paris 2024 Megastore on Paris’ iconic Champs-Élysées and other official merchandise shops around France. Visa is also the Official Way to Pay for official merchandise online at the Olympic Shop.
- Fans can join the fun on Roblox at Olympic World presented by Visa, a new immersive experience that features a unique collection of sports-themed activities, quests, and fun facts.
In the Paris metro area, “Pas Sans Vous” will come to life through Visa’s commitment to giving back to local youth and small business. Visa has partnered with youth sports program Sport Dans La Ville, providing hundreds of tickets to Paris 2024 for program participants, funding new sports centers and a girls mentorship program, as well as a development program for young journalists with Le Monde, one of France’s top news platforms. Additionally, Visa invited small businesses across France to participate in the “Les Paiements Gagnants,” or “Winning Payments” national promotion, in which more than 25,000 small businesses opted in to offer Visa cardholders a chance to win Paris 2024 tickets, helping small businesses to benefit more from the commercial opportunities that the Olympic and Paralympic Games bring.
Learn more about Visa’s commitment to the Olympic and Paralympic Games here.
About Visa
Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.
