Samsung signed a two-year contract as the initial title sponsors of the series, comprising 14 meetings around the world, when it was established in July 2010 with an option for 2012, which they have now activated.

"This is excellent news for the IAAF, the Diamond League meets and of course Samsung," said the IAAF President, Lamine Diack.

"For the IAAF's top invitational series of meetings to continue with a title sponsor such as Samsung, a world leader in consumer electronics, among other product categories, with a history of over 70 years of excellence, reconfirms the attractive benefit of sponsoring athletics."

The Diamond League has gained strong exposure across the 12 markets and 14 meets of the series, and has enjoyed worldwide exposure thanks to growing TV coverage.

Last year, the series came close to a cumulative total of 290 million viewers and attracted a rising spectator attendance approaching 400,000 across all 14 meetings.


In addition to its series title sponsorship, Samsung, which has a rich heritage in various global sports marketing activities, has also directly supported some individual meetings by acquiring local sponsorship packages in Stockholm, Brussels, Lausanne, Monaco and Doha.

This year's Diamond League gets underway in Doha, hosts of the opening event in 2010, on May 11 before the caravan moves on to Shanghai eight days later.

The third meeting in the series, the Compeed Golden Gala in Rome, will feature Usain Bolt, last year's IAAF World Athlete of the Year who is currently posing as Richard Branson in a television advert, in the 100 metres.

Bolt will also run the short sprint at the fifth Diamond League meeting on June 7 – the Bislett Games in Oslo.

Samsung Diamond League 2012 Calendar: Doha, Qatar – May 11; Shanghai, China – May 19; Rome, Italy – May 31; Eugene, USA – June 2; Oslo, Norway – June 7; New York, USA – June 9; Paris, France – July 6; London, UK – July 13 and 14; Monaco – July 20; Stockholm, Sweden – August 17; Lausanne, Switzerland – August 23; Birmingham, UK – August 26; Zurich, Switzerland – August 30; Brussels, Belgium – September 7.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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