Ioc, Ipc, & Visa Launch New Athlete Award

The IOC, IPC, and Worldwide Olympic Partner Visa have launched a new Visa Award – which will celebrate the best moments of Tokyo 2020 and raise money for charity.

The new accolade will be bestowed on one Olympian and one Paralympian following a fan vote, which will be held on the Tokyo 2020 FanZone platform – which was launched in the build up to the Games with the aim of uniting audiences around the world.

Athletes who ‘best exemplify the Olympic and Paralympic values’ will be recognised throughout the Games, and a selection of the most emblematic moments will be added to the FanZone app and website for fan voting. Eight Olympic nominees will advance for final voting, which opens on the 8th August, and six Paralympic athletes will advance for final voting, which opens on the 5th September.

The Visa Award winners will be celebrated during a virtual award ceremony, and both will be given a platform to host a virtual session to promote a cause – while Visa will donate $50,000 to a charity nominated by each.

“The Olympic and Paralympic Games represent the best of who we are, and The Visa Award is designed to highlight special moments of perseverance, inclusion and friendship in a celebration of humanity,” said Olympian and IOC Athletes’ Commission member Sarah Walker. 

“As with each Olympic Games, the world witnesses examples of these moments reminding us we are stronger together and that athletes, through their memorable actions, have the power to inspire the world and bring us closer together as a global community.”

Andrea Fairchild, Senior Vice-President – Global Sponsorship Strategy, Visa, added: “We remember Olympic and Paralympic athletes as much for their extraordinary physical feats as we do for the moments when they put competition aside and remind us what it means to lead with purpose and positive intent.

“These are moments we think are also worth encouraging and recognising, and we are excited for fans all around the world to help us do this.”