Puma joins Athletics Federation of India as official kit partner

Delhi: Sports brand Puma India is the official kit sponsor of sports body Athletics Federation of India (AFI). In this multi-year deal, Puma will now exclusively supply performance kits, speed suits and travel gear to every single athlete under AFI, representing India in track and field, jumps, throws, cross country running and marathons at both domestic and international tournaments. 
 
Commenting on this deal, Arne Freundt, CEO, Puma SE, said, “More than 75 years ago, Puma’s founder Rudolf Dassler had the vision to develop products for athletes that would give them the speed, the agility and the nimbleness of a puma. We are excited that we can now bring this spirit to the Athletics Federation of India. India is one of the most dynamic markets and we hope that by achieving success with the Athletics Federation of India, we can together inspire the next generation of athletes.”

Karthik Balagopalan, Managing Director, Puma India, said, “At Puma, we strongly believe in serving the athletes and helping them realise their full potential with our world class performance products. We are thrilled to partner with the Athletics Federation of India and help our athletes perform at the highest levels in various sporting disciplines across the globe. Together with Athletics Federation of India, we will accelerate this transformative journey in Indian athletics.” 

Adille Sumariwalla, President, Athletics Federation of India, said, “Our association with Puma represents a significant milestone for India’s athletes. With their high-quality gear, we are not only enhancing the performance of athletes but also creating a culture of excellence within the country’s sporting community. We are confident that this partnership will propel Indian athletics to new heights on the global stage.”
 
With this, several international athletes such as Neeraj Chopra (javelin throw), Kishore Kumar Jena (javelin throw), Parul Chaudhary (steeplechase), Subha Venkatesan (4x 400 m relay), Murali Sreeshankar (long jump), Jyothi Yarraji (hurdle), Priyanka Goswami (race walk) and Jeswin Aldrin (long jump) will be seen sporting Puma’s gear across sporting events. To be sure, kitting under this partnership does not include Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.

Commenting on the partnership, javelin throw champion, Chopra said, “As an athlete training for 12 years, I know the importance of high-quality gear for high-level practice. With Athletics Federation of India teaming up with global sports brand Puma, Indian athletes across all levels will now have access to training gear of international excellence, assisting us to express our best in our game now. This partnership signals the bright future of Indian sport.”

Jena, Asian Games silver medalist, added, “Puma and Athletics Federation of India teaming up to invest in athletes is a big milestone for the Indian sporting scene. I am extremely excited to see how this partnership will transform our game at tournaments worldwide and help us turn our dreams into reality.”

Venkatesan, 4x400 m relay runner and Paris 2024 qualified, commented, “I am extremely happy to see the collective commitment of Athletics Federation of India and Puma towards nurturing the next generation of sporting talent and fostering a culture of success in the country. I am confident that this partnership will bring out the best in me and help me achieve my goals this year.”