Carli Lloyd (USA), Ashton Eaton (USA), and Tiago Splitter (Brazil) Among Top Athletes to Join Team Visa Rio

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today, Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) gathered 25 Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls from around the world for a two-day Team Visa Summit and innovation showcase at the company’s headquarters in San Francisco. The Summit kicked-off Visa’s year-long program which supports Olympic and Paralympic global athletes as they train for the 2016 Games. To mark the occasion, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and representatives of the International Olympic Committee declared today “Team Visa Day” in San Francisco.

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Team Visa athletes Carli Lloyd, Ashton Eaton, Emanuel Rego, Sally Pearson, Brianne Theisen-Eaton, and English Gardner join San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and Visa executives Sam Shrauger, Chris Curtin, Ricardo Fort, and Jim McCarthy to celebrate Team Visa Summit in San Francisco, California on September 23, 2015. (Photo: Business Wire)

Team Visa Rio includes Olympic and Paralympic athletes including Carli Lloyd (USA), Ashton Eaton (USA), Emanuel Rego (Brazil), Tiago Splitter (Brazil), Sally Pearson (Australia), Ryan Cochrane (Canada), Kim Jae-Bum (Korea), Daiya Seto (Japan), Ivan Garcia (Mexico), Yana Kudryavtseva (Russia) and more (see additional list below).

“I’m excited to join Team Visa and the more than 30 other world-class athletes as we prepare for Rio 2016,” said Carli Lloyd, World Cup Champion and Rio 2016 Hopeful. “For me, the support I receive from my fiancé, friends, coaches, teammates and sponsors, like Visa, is critical to my success and I’m so thankful that it has allowed me to pursue my goals.”

Pushing the Boundaries: The Intersection of Sports & Technology

As new mobile technologies such as biometrics and wearables advance the payment experience, innovation is also helping Olympic athletes with training and performance monitoring as they prepare for the Olympic Games. Visa is positioned at the intersection of technology and sports, bringing mobile payment innovation to the Olympic venues and infrastructure, while sponsoring athletes to achieve their everywhere.

Olympic hopefuls attending the Team Visa Summit learned to use new payment technology that are expected to be implemented at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games including Visa Checkout and Samsung Pay. They also received a preview of future payment technology applications including biometric payment options and wearables.

“The Rio 2016 Olympic Games will feature the latest technology and payment innovations that will enhance the Olympic experience for athletes, fans, cardholders and clients,” said Jim McCarthy, executive vice president of innovation and strategic partnerships, Visa. “Whether you’re competing in the Olympic Games or a passionate spectator on the sidelines, Visa will help you experience the latest ways to pay.”

Announcing Team Visa Rio

Visa’s commitment to the Olympic Movement began in 1986, and includes sponsorship of all Olympic Games from 1988 – 2020, along with more than 300 sponsored athletes through the Team Visa program.

“The IOC has been proud to call Visa a Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Games for the past 30 years, and their support has helped ensure the continued success of the Olympic Games,” said Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee. “The athletes are at the heart of the Olympic Movement and through the Team Visa program, Visa has supported young athletes from around the world in achieving their dreams. We look forward to continuing our partnership for many years to come.”

Visa selects its athletes based on criteria including the athlete’s personal journey to the Olympic and Paralympics Games, athletic achievements, and community involvement.

Team Visa Rio

• Jennifer Abel, Canada, Diving
• Valerie Adams, New Zealand, Athletics – Shot Put
• Rebeca Andrade, Brazil, Gymnastics
• Leandro Aparecido da Silva, Brazil, Equestrian – Dressage
• Alison Cerutti, Brazil, Beach Volleyball
• Ryan Cochrane, Canada, Swimming
• Daniel Dias, Brazil, Paralympic Swimming
• Ashton Eaton, USA, Athletics – Decathlon
• Maria Espinoza, Mexico, Taekwondo
• Ivan Garcia, Mexico, Diving
• English Gardner, USA, Athletics
• Terezinha Guilhermina, Brazil, Paralympic Athletics
• Benoit Huot, Canada, Paralympic Swimming
• Kim Jae-Bum, Korea, Judo
• Mark de Jonge, Canada, Sprint Canoe
• Gwen Jorgensen, USA, Triathlon
• Yana Kudryavtseva, Russia, Rhythmic Gymnastics
• Carli Lloyd, USA, Soccer
• Chen Long, China, Badminton
• Alana Nichols, USA, Parakayak
• Maria Pajon, Colombia, Cycling – BMX
• Sally Pearson, Australia, Athletics – Hurdles
• Zhang Peimeng, China, Athletics – 100 m & 200 m
• Emanuel Rego, Brazil, Beach Volleyball
• Bruno Rezende, Brazil, Volleyball
• Svetlana Romashina, Russia, Synchronized Swimming
• Daiya Seto, Japan, Swimming
• Tiago Splitter, Brazil, Basketball
• Brianne Theisen-Eaton, Canada, Athletics – Heptathlon
• Olesya Vladykina, Russia, Paralympic Swimming, Russia
• Kerri Walsh-Jennings, USA, Beach Volleyball
• Pamela Ware, Canada, Diving
• Kanako Watanabe, Japan, Swimming

About Visa:

Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) is a global payments technology company that connects consumers, businesses, financial institutions, and governments in more than 200 countries and territories to fast, secure and reliable electronic payments. We operate one of the world’s most advanced processing networks — VisaNet — that is capable of handling more than 56,000 transaction messages a second, with fraud protection for consumers and assured payment for merchants. Visa is not a bank and does not issue cards, extend credit or set rates and fees for consumers. Visa’s innovations, however, enable its financial institution customers to offer consumers more choices: pay now with debit, ahead of time with prepaid or later with credit products. For more information, visit usa.visa.com/about-visa, visacorporate.tumblr.com and @VisaNews.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150923006330/en/

Source: Visa Inc.