Referee Sportsmarketing, owned by travel management company ATPI, is to be rebranded Infront Netherlands.

The company is a longstanding partner of the International Skating Union (ISU).

Key Referee employees, including managing director Barbara Peeters, are to remain with the organisation.

As a result of the acquisition, Infront said, it would for the first time offer "premium sponsorship opportunities" across the full global winter sports spectrum, that is to say biathlon, bobsleigh and skeleton, curling, ice hockey, luge, skiing and snowboarding and speed skating.

Philippe Blatter, Infront's President and chief executive, said the acquisition "fortifies Infront's position as the number one in winter sports, proudly representing all Olympic Winter Sports Federations".

Peeters said the deal would "add value to our existing clients and partners, particularly the ISU".

Infront will be hoping to tap into The Netherlands' world-leading speed skating market. Sven Kramer was one dominant team member in Sochi, winning two golds and a silver medal ©Getty Images



Dutch speed skaters were utterly dominant at last year's Winter Olympics in Sochi, winning almost two-thirds of the 36 available medals, including eight of 12 golds.

In four events - three men's and one women's - orange-suited Dutch skaters claimed a clean sweep of the medals.

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