Coca-Cola partners with special Olympics

Special Olympics athletes, playing alongside football legends and other celebrities, will compete in the inaugural match of the "Unity Cup" presented by Coca-Cola, on the same pitch that just hours later will host a FIFA World Cup„¢ match. The Coca-Cola Company, in partnership with Special Olympics, has announced details of the event which will take place at Green Point Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa, on July 3, prior to a quarterfinal match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The goal of the Unity Cup is to support the movement of inclusion and acceptance for people with intellectual disabilities and is an extension of the Special Olympics Unified Sports® program. The Unified Sports program brings Special Olympic athletes together with partners without intellectual disabilities on teams for friendly athletic competition. Participants in the Unity Cup will include South African President Jacob Zuma, former South African national team captain Lucas Radebe, former captain of South Africa's national women's football team Desiree Ellis, and Clarence Seedorf of A.C. Milan.

"We have a long and unique association with sport, especially football, and have witnessed over the decades how it can unite people," said Muhtar Kent, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Coca-Cola Company and a member of the Special Olympics International Board of Directors. "The Unity Cup is a testament to that power as we have brought together our partners at Special Olympics and FIFA to shine a spotlight on the important values of understanding, acceptance and inclusion that we all share."

Since the establishment of Special Olympics in 1968, The Coca-Cola Company has been an Official Global Partner. Coca-Cola supports the movement through financial and in-kind support, marketing expertise and hands-on volunteer work in an effort to showcase the dignity and capacity of people with intellectual disabilities on a global stage.

"The Unity Cup is an incredible opportunity to showcase the abilities of our Special Olympics athletes on a world stage," said Special Olympics Chairman and CEO Timothy Shriver. "The Unified Sports experience benefits not only our athletes but also the partners involved without disabilities as we promote a global community of inclusion and acceptance. Thanks to our global partner Coca-Cola, while the world's attention is focused on football, we can continue to share the message that sport is a powerful agent to bring together people from all walks of life."