Bridgestone Becomes Worldwide Paralympic Partner

Bridgestone has announced that it has become the seventh Worldwide Paralympic Partner. Bridgestone is already a Worldwide Olympic Partner through to 2024 and the tire manufacturer will now have global rights to promote and support the Paralympic Movement as well for the same period.

As a sponsor belonging to the highest tier, Bridgestone will enjoy benefits in terms of global IPC rights in categories related to tires, tire services and selected automotive vehicle services, self-propelled bicycles, seismic isolation bearings, and a variety of building and industrial products. Bridgestone will also be partner for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games as a Gold Partner and a partner of the Japan, Thailand and USA Paralympic teams. The company has also individually taken on the sponsorship of many leading international Para athletes, including eight employees of the company who are currently training to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

The company’s support for the global Paralympic Movement aligns well with its “Chase Your Dream” message, which is all about encouraging people to tackling obstacles successfully in order to achieve their goals.

Andrew Parsons, IPC President, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Bridgestone will become the IPC’s seventh Worldwide Paralympic Partner and believe the company’s ‘Chase Your Dream’ message enjoys perfect synergy with the aspirations of the Paralympic Movement and the IPC. Part of the IPC’s vision relates to Para athletes achieving sporting excellence, in effect people with a disability chasing their dreams through Para sport at all levels of competition. By working together, I hope we can empower even more people around the world to chase their own dreams.”

Parsons said that this is the third such agreement after the new new IPC IOC agreement was signed back in March and this fact highlighted the benefit of the collaboration between the two organizations.

Masaaki Tsuya, Chief Executive Officer and Representative Executive Officer, Bridgestone Corporation, said that Bridgestone was honored to become a Worldwide Paralympic Partner and thus further support the IPC’s mission of creating a more inclusive society through Para sport.

He went on to add that Bridgestone was committed to improving the way people move, live, work and play, and emphasized the company’s core values of service and diversity which are reflected in the Paralympic Movement. He concluded by saying that together, both companies would celebrate the world’s most remarkable athletes and thus inspire people of all abilities to chase their dreams.

As part of this sponsorship, Bridgestone Corporation would use its tire and rubber expertise to develop technologies that could make equipment better for Para athletes in Japan, including new rubber soles for prosthetics and rubber grips for gloves. Through Bridgestone Cycle Co., Ltd. (Bridgestone Cycle) and Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd. (Bridgestone Sports), the company will also provide bicycles, sports equipment and technical support to Para cycling and wheelchair tennis athletes in Japan.