One of the world’s largest accounting and consulting organisations, BDO International, has been announced as the naming rights partner of the 11th women’s Champions Trophy hockey tournament to be held in Sydney between 29 November and 7 December this year.
The event will be known as the: BDO Hockey Champions Trophy Women Sydney 2003
BDO’s partnership with the Champions Trophy is part of a four-year global sponsorship agreement signed with the International Hockey Federation (FIH) late last year.
As the fifth largest organisation of its type in the world, BDO leads the market in advising growth-oriented businesses. With representations in 100 countries, BDO combines international expertise with grass roots knowledge at a regional level. BDO operates throughout Australia, employing more than 800 specialists nationally from every major business discipline including taxation, audit and assurance services, corporate finance, IT and business recovery.
The BDO Hockey Champions Trophy is the most prestigious women’s international tournament in 2003 and will be a vital component in all teams’ preparations for the Athens Olympic Games in August next year. The Australian women’s hockey team, the Hockeyroos, will be joined by world champion Argentina and Champions Trophy titleholder China, in the nine-day event. Other competing teams are World Cup silver medallist The Netherlands, England and Korea.
On a blockbuster opening weekend, the Hockeyroos will open their campaign against England on Saturday, 29 November, and back up with a clash against The Netherlands the following day. After their thrilling penalty stroke competition to decide the World Cup in December last year, the anticipated rematch between Argentina and The Netherlands is scheduled for the final day of round robin games (Saturday 4 December).
The Hockeyroos have enjoyed extraordinary success in the tournament’s 16-year history, winning five consecutive gold medals between 1991 and 1999 when the Champions Trophy was contested on a biennial basis.
‘We are pleased to be involved with hockey on a global scale and importantly in Australia, particularly at a time when both our women’s and men’s teams have been so successful. This is one of the few elite sporting sponsorships that allows the promotion of a sport played at the elite level by both men and women,’ BDO National Chairman (Australia), Michael Batchelor, said.
‘Both the Hockeyroos and Kookaburras are preparing for their 2004 Olympic campaigns and the Champions Trophy is an opportunity to compete against hockey’s elite teams.’
Mr Batchelor also commended FIH and Hockey Australia on its commitment to junior Development and the promotion of hockey throughout regional Australia.
For more information contact:
Fédération Internationale de Hockey
Avenue des Arts, 1 bte 5
1210 Bruxelles, Belgique
Tel: +32 2 219 4537
Fax: +32 2 219 2761
email: info@FIHockey.org