IAAF announces improved broadcasting deals with Latin America

Monte-Carlo - The IAAF is delighted to announce the conclusion of television rights agreements covering virtually all the key territories in Latin America. After negotiations handled by the Japanese corporation Dentsu Inc, our exclusive worldwide partner for the exploitation of commercial rights, a total of 10 territories, including the three major economies of Brazil, Mexico and Argentina, will receive greater than ever coverage of IAAF World Athletics Series competitions.

As part of the IAAF strategy to pursue maximal "free to air" coverage, the new agreements include many new partners and mostly terrestrial broadcasting partners. For example, in seven Latin American territories, coverage of the IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Osaka 2007 will be assured through a deal with the Latin American broadcasting union OTI. In Mexico and Chile renewals have also been completed with leading terrestrial broadcasters Televisa and TVN respectively, not only for Osaka but also for other IAAF World Athletics Series competitions.

In Brazil, which is the biggest economic market in South America, for the first time since Dentsu has been handling the sale of rights, the IAAF has secured a new long term deal with Globosat, the leading pay TV operator, that will ensure coverage of all IAAF World Athletics Series competitions 2007-2009 throughout the territory.

Together with the new USA agreements that were announced in November 2006, this means that the best athletics competitions in the world will be widely seen throughout the Americas.

"On behalf of the IAAF, I am very pleased to announce that more people than ever before in Latin America will be able to watch the best athletes in the world on free to air and pay TV broadcasts," said IAAF President Lamine Diack. "This is part of our on-going strategy to build up our fan base by allowing as many people as possible, all over the world, to enjoy the action from our top competitions."

With other broadcasting agreements soon to be announced, the IAAF and Dentsu Inc., anticipate that by the time of the 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Osaka, Japan (25 Aug to 2 Sep 2007), the TV distribution and exposure of the IAAF WAS across the world will be greater than the 187 territories achieved for the last edition of the World Championships in Athletics: 'Helsinki 2005'.