T-MOBILE TO CONTINUE SUPPORT OF BIKE RACING
(August 9, 2007) T-Mobile is to continue Deutsche Telekom's 16-year involvement in cycling. The telecommunications group announced at a news conference in Saarbrücken, Germany, on Thursday that it would honor a contract with Bob Stapleton's T-Mobile Team which runs until the end of 2010.
“I am very pleased that T-Mobile remains a committed partner," said Bob Stapleton following the announcement. "As someone with a long history with T-Mobile, I understand completely the concerns that exist and am aware of the big challenges that lie ahead. The challenge for us as a Team is two-fold – to do the very best we can to be a clean and successful team; and to push for real and credible change within the sport in order to restore credibility to it.”
After the spate of doping scandals that have rocked the sport in recent months, Stapleton stressed the importance of having T-Mobile on board as a credible and reliable partner. "This is a critical time for the sport right now. The need for change is undeniable. Change in the sport is really only possible with partners like T-Mobile.”
“The team led by Bob Stapleton is on the right track in the battle for clean and fair sport,” said Christian Frommert, vice president of Sponsoring Communications at Deutsche Telekom. “Pulling the plug on the sponsorship now would only undo the good work of the team to date, and sent a false signal that the fight against doping could not be won.”
T-Mobile Team co-sponsor Giant welcomes this announcement. For Giant, T-Mobile’s ongoing sponsorship of their cycling team represents a great opportunity to maintain a mutually beneficial working relationship that has withstood the test of time.
“We are very pleased that T-Mobile have taken this decision, one which has our 100 percent support.” commented Giant Global Sport Marketing Manager Tom Davies. “Since January this year, T-Mobile have proved to be courageous pioneers in taking a new, strong and very necessary direction for the sport of cycling. “
“At the same time, Giant has continued its long-standing role as a pioneer in the latest technological developments of bike manufacture and design, much of it based around work with the T-Mobile men’s and women’s squad,” Davis said. “In uncertain times, these two equally dynamic and innovative approaches are of vital importance both to the sport and the industry of cycling. Giant and T-Mobile working together has already proved to be a harmonious, well-structured and mutually profitable relationship. We have no doubt this will continue to be the case for the foreseeable future.”
This information was taken from several sources. Among them:
www.t-mobile-team.com9 August 2007
