Olympian and World Champion Neeraj Chopra Joins Team Visa and is New Brand Ambassador in India

02/06/2024

 

(From left to right): Sujatha V Kumar, Head of Marketing Visa India and South Asia; Neeraj Chopra, Olympic gold medalist and World no. 1 in men's javelin throw; Sandeep Ghosh, Group Country Manager, Visa India and South Asia.

 

Visa Inc. (NYSE: V), the global leader in digital payments, has signed up Olympic gold medalist and World no. 1  in men's javelin throw, Neeraj Chopra as a Team Visa athlete, ahead of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Chopra’s collaboration with Visa makes him the second athlete from India joining Team Visa along with other global athletes, and reinforces Visa’s salience in and commitment towards sports.

"Sports is one of the strongest unifying factors worldwide and Visa is delighted to have the nation’s pride, Neeraj Chopra, join Team Visa and be our brand ambassador. As a trusted brand in digital payments, we truly believe in uplifting everyone, everywhere. Thus, by championing sports and sportspersons and our association with India's Olympics icon Neeraj Chopra, we underscore our dedication to support inspirational athletes across sporting disciplines", said Sandeep Ghosh, Group Country Manager, India and South Asia, Visa.

Neeraj Chopra, who made history as the first track and field athlete to win a gold medal for India at the Olympics, said, “I am excited to be associated with Visa, a brand that all of us have been so familiar with. Trust and consistency are essentials of every partnership and Visa has stood for these principles for several years now. I hope that through this association, we can inspire people to go from strength to strength with the values of hard work and consistent commitment.”

Visa has a history of collaborating with renowned sports personalities. In 2019, Visa signed badminton ace PV Sindhu as the first Team Visa athlete from India, for the Olympics Games Tokyo 2020. Visa has supported the Olympic and Paralympic Games as a worldwide sponsor since 1986, a commitment that extends through 2032, serving as the Exclusive Payment Technology partner. Major sports events like the Olympics, FIFA World Cup and Super Bowl attract a diverse and global audience. As a partner, Visa ensures safe and secure digital payments at these events - for tickets, merchandise and concessions, regardless of location or currency.

 

Neeraj Chopra’s Biography

Neeraj Chopra (born 24 December 1997) is an Indian track and field athlete, who is the reigning Olympic champion and World champion in Men's javelin throw. He is the first Asian athlete to strike gold in all four global events – Asian Games in 2023, Commonwealth Games in 2019, Tokyo Olympics in 2021, and the World Athletics Championships in 2023. A Junior Commissioned Officer Subedar (JCO) in the Indian Army, Chopra is the first track and field athlete to win a gold medal for India at the Olympics. He is a recipient of the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award for the year 2021, which is the highest sports honor in India and is also a recipient of India's fourth highest civilian award, the Padma Shri in 2022.