Cisco Becomes Official Partner of the LA28 Olympic & Paralympic Games and Team USA

Cisco Will Build Upon Its Olympic & Paralympic Legacy as the Official Network Equipment Partner of the LA28 Games

News Summary:

Cisco has announced a partnership with the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Team USA to serve as the Official Network Equipment Partner.
Cisco will build on its long-standing history with the Olympic and Paralympic Games to not only deliver secure connectivity through its industry-leading networking infrastructure, but also positively impact the city of Los Angeles and people in the region.
Cisco will also use the platform of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to deliver on the company’s purpose to power an inclusive future for all by creating opportunities for people in Los Angeles through both new and existing social impact programming, including the Cisco Networking Academy.

SAN JOSE, Calif., June 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) – the worldwide leader in secure networking technology – today announced a partnership with the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Team USA to serve as the Official Network Equipment Partner. As the next four years promise to bring incredible growth and transformation that will impact all aspects of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Cisco will deliver on its long-standing history with the Olympic and Paralympic Movement to not only provide secure connectivity through its industry-leading networking infrastructure, but also positively impact the city of Los Angeles and people in the region.

Since 2012, Cisco has served as an Official Partner of several editions of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, connecting and protecting athletes, fans and stakeholders in London (2012), Rio de Janeiro (2016), Tokyo (2020) and Paris (2024). Cisco’s networking solutions will be deployed across numerous venues throughout the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area to ensure secure and reliable connectivity for all involved in the LA28 Games.

As the Olympic Games return to Los Angeles for the third time overall and first since 1984, and the city prepares to host its first Paralympic Games, Cisco will build upon its existing relationships within the city and region to leverage networking technology to benefit residents and visitors to the area in both 2028 and beyond.

“We are thrilled to bring Cisco’s networking technology, powered by AI, to the LA28 Olympics and Paralympics. The Games have become a powerful symbol of representation for the world, embodying the principle that everyone deserves an equal opportunity to compete. We can’t wait to use our expertise to securely connect these globally beloved events, leave a lasting positive impact on Los Angeles, and amplify the ideals of organizations like Cisco who seek to foster an inclusive future for all,” said Francine Katsoudas, Chief People, Policy & Purpose Officer at Cisco.

“Connectivity is going to be integral as we plan to deliver the Olympic and Paralympic Games all throughout Los Angeles,” said LA28 Chairperson and President, Casey Wasserman. “Cisco’s leadership in the industry and experience will enable us to provide the best and most seamless experience for our athletes, fans, partners and community at large.”

Cisco will also use the platform of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to deliver on the company’s purpose to power an inclusive future for all by creating opportunities for people in Los Angeles through both new and existing social impact programming, including the Cisco Networking Academy, which was founded in 1997 and provides networking and network security training and educational courses to more than 20 million students worldwide. Cisco currently has 35 active academies in the Los Angeles area and has supported 34,000 students in the region since the program’s inception.

This commitment builds on Cisco’s legacy work surrounding prior Games, including in 2016 with the development of a bespoke program that provided young people from Rio de Janeiro’s most impoverished communities with the tools and skills needed to work alongside Cisco and other Rio 2016 technology partners to support the network during the Games and set them up for future success and employability. Similarly, ahead of the Tokyo Games, Cisco launched a program designed to provide youth with technical knowledge and skills and to enhance Japan’s networking security expertise, educating more than 6,000 students in total to fill local human resources gaps in this critical field.

In addition to serving as a long-time trusted partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Cisco’s sports and entertainment solutions and expertise have also been relied upon by hundreds of industry-leading venues, teams, events and organizations around the world over the past decade.

About Cisco

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide technology leader that securely connects everything to make anything possible. Our purpose is to power an inclusive future for all by helping our customers reimagine their applications, power hybrid work, secure their enterprise, transform their infrastructure, and meet their sustainability goals. Discover more on The Newsroom and follow us on X at @Cisco.

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A listing of Cisco’s trademarks can be found at www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.

About LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games

The LA28 Games will mark Los Angeles’ third time to host the Olympic Games, previously hosted in 1984 and 1932, and first time to host the Paralympic Games. Los Angeles will host the world’s most elite athletes in 2028 as it welcomes Paralympians and Olympians from around the world to compete on the biggest stage in sports. The LA28 Games are independently operated by a privately funded, non-profit organization with revenue from corporate partners, licensing agreements, hospitality and ticketing programs and a significant contribution from the International Olympic Committee. For more information, visit LA28.org.

About Team USA

Team USA is the world’s largest and most diverse team of athletes from across the United States who compete at the Olympic, Paralympic, Youth Olympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games. The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, founded in 1894, serves as the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States and is responsible for protecting, supporting and empowering Team USA athletes. For more information, visit TeamUSA.org.

CONTACT: Sara Cicero, [email protected]