ITU is pleased to announce it has signed an initial two-year contract with the NTT Group to become a global partner of both ITU and the ITU World Triathlon Series for 2016 and 2017.

“NTT’s proven history of delivering value to clients to the highest standards is well aligned with ITU’s core values,” said ITU President and IOC Member Marisol Casado. “NTT’s sponsorship of ITU and the ITU World Triathlon Series will serve us well in our mission to make triathlon accessible to everyone by providing state of the art technological services to fans and spectators.”

NTT, one of the largest ICT companies, will serve as ITU’s exclusive communications and systems integration partner. As part of the global deal, NTT, which is comprised of a select group of technology companies, will acquire rights at various triathlon events in Japan, Asia and worldwide.

“Triathletes and triathlon fans are tech-savvy early adapters, and the NTT Group technology platforms will allow ITU to develop some exciting products and services for the future,” Casado continued.
Brokered jointly by ITU and its Japanese National Federation, the Japan Triathlon Union (JTU), the deal will see NTT Group showcase its products and services to a global audience of sport fans including the development of a smartphone app for the Japanese market.

“Since 1990, NTT Group has been supporting triathlon events organized throughout Japan, said Mr. Shinji Kume, General Manager of NTT Public Relations. “We hail this occasion with great pleasure to become a Global Partner of ITU. It is a wonderful opportunity for us to contribute to the further development of triathlon on the global stage and to raise awareness of NTT Group brands in international markets by offering ICT technologies.”

NTT group will also provide technology services for select paratriathlon events. This summer, paratriathlon will make its debut at the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. 

As a part of the agreement Dimension Data, a subsidiary of the NTT Group, will supply extended services and technology at a number of ITU events, which will be similar to services that have been provided at the Tour de France. The inclusion of live speed and positioning data will further enhance the onsite and online spectator experience.

“Our history of triathlon in Japan has been supported by NTT Group for a long time,” said Shin Otsuka, Secretary General and CEO of JTU. “However, we will not rest on what we have achieved, but rather, we will work even harder to develop our sport of triathlon by making the best use of ICT technologies so that more and more people can enjoy triathlon.”

NTT will be the exclusive communications and systems integration partner at ITU World Triathlon Series races this year in Australia, South Africa, Japan, Great Britain, Germany and Canada. NTT will also be an official partner of the 2016 ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships in Oklahoma, USA. ITU and the NTT Group will look to develop the partnership towards 2020 and beyond in an effort to improve the athlete and fan experiences at ITU events worldwide.

In 2015, the NTT Group were appointed as the first Gold Partner of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games to serve as the official telecommunications services partner of the organizing committee.