SPORTS
Georgia National Olympic Committee extends sponsorship deal with SOCAR
Tbilisi, June 10 (AZERTAC). Azerbaijan's State Oil Company (SOCAR) has extended its sponsorship of the Georgian National Olympic Committee (GNOC) for another year.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed by the SOCAR Energy Georgia director general Mahir Mammadov and GNOC President Leri Khabelov.
The company has played a key role in funding various Olympic programs in Georgia and projects, publication and educational activities, as well as promotion of the Olympic Movement in general.
The GNOC is due to soon celebrate its silver jubilee following its creation in October 1989 after the break-up of the Soviet Union.
Georgia made its Olympic debut in the Winter Games at Lillehammer in 1994.
It has appeared in the summer edition for the first time at Atlanta two years later and has taken part in every Games since.
It has won a total of 25 medals, including six gold medals.
Its first medal was a bronze in judo for Soso Liparteliani.
Its first gold came in the same sport when Zurab Zviadauri won the men's under 90 kg at Athens 2004.
Beijing 2008 was its most successful Olympics when it won a total of six medals, three of them gold.