The Dow Chemical Company (Dow) andProcter and Gamble (P&G) have becomethe latest members of The OlympicPartners (TOP) Programme. Dow becomesan official Worldwide Olympic Partner andthe official Chemistry company for theOlympic Movement through to 2020,including for the London 2012 OlympicGames, Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Gamesand Rio 2016 Olympic Games (as well asfor the 2018 Olympic Winter Games andthe 2020 Olympic Games, for which thehost cities have yet to be elected). P&G will become an official Olympicworldwide partner in the "personal careand household products" category throughto 2020, including for the London 2012Olympic Games, Sochi 2014 OlympicWinter Games and the Rio 2016 OlympicGames (as well as for the 2018 OlympicWinter Games and the 2020 OlympicGames). Both Dow and P&G will alsopartner the IOC and the National OlympicCommittees around the world.IOC President Jacques Rogge said,"We are delighted to welcome Dow andProcter & Gamble to the TOP Programme.As a global leader in the chemical industry and an innovator in sustainability,Dow will not only provide critical financialsupport to the Olympic Movement, but also bring industry-leading expertise andinnovation to the Games themselves. "P&G's global reach and consumerinsight will be a real boost in our efforts to communicate the Olympic values to a worldwide audience, and its financialsupport over the next decade will benefitthe entire Olympic Movement, including the athletes themselves."The Dow Chemical Company Chairmanand CEO Andrew Liveris said, "With ourlong-standing commitment to globalsustainability, innovation, scientificexcellence and addressing worldchallenges, we believe Dow is perfectlymatched to the vision of the OlympicMovement, which is about peace, progressand the world coming together to celebrateour common humanity."P&G Global Marketing and BrandBuilding Officer, Marc Pritchard said: "Thispartnership will allow us to continue buildingour business around the globe by offering allof our brands an opportunity to leverage themarketing power of the Olympic Movement. "But, this is about more than just asponsorship. We will utilise this partnershipto further deliver on our purpose-inspiredgrowth strategy to improve more lives, more completely around the world with a focus on making life better for athletes,mums and their families." IOC Marketing Commission ChairmanGerhard Heiberg added, "We already haveeight partners through to 2016 and fivepartners through to 2020. In its 25th year,the TOP programme continues to grow and develop, and the long-term supportprovided by our partners is essential for the strength and stability of the entireOlympic Movement."AboveDow are unveiled as a TOPpartner BelowP&G invited leadingOlympians and their mothers to helpcelebrate their TOP launch ANDWHOSTRENGTHENPARTNERSHIPTWONEWPARTNERS JOINTOPPROGRAMMEThe IOC and the World Health Organisation (WHO)are to step up their collaboration and streamlinetheir efforts to promote physical activity across theglobe after IOC President Jacques Rogge andWHO Director-General Margaret Chan signed aMemorandum of Understanding between the twoorganisations. The document named physicalinactivity as one of the most important risk factorsfor non-communicable diseases, and outlines thejoint way forward for the five years to come."The IOC and the WHO are both eager topromote healthy lifestyles and grassroots sportsworldwide, and the agreement is an importantstep to better form synergies between our variousinitiatives in this field," said Jacques Rogge. Whilst it is the IOC's goal to enable access tosport for everybody, physical inactivity is a key riskfactor for non-communicable diseases, such asdiabetes, cardiovascular diseases and obesity,which cause millions of deaths worldwide everyyear. As the leading authority for health within theUnited Nations system, the WHO is responsible for providing global strategies for health matters. An IOC-WHO working group will now pool thetwo networks and work on developing commonadvocacy and field projects for a five-year periodto start with. BelowWHO Director-General Margaret Chanand IOC President Jacques RoggeOLYMPIC REVIEW13