DSM and the Dutch Olympic Committee/Dutch Sports Federation (NOC*NSF) will continue to be ‘Partners in Sports’ in the run-up to the London 2012 Olympics. The partners have today signed an agreement to this effect at the Papendal Dutch National Sports Centre. As innovation partner of NOC*NSF, DSM is supporting the Dutch Olympic team with innovations in the field of nutrition and materials in order to help the team achieve top performances.

‘We are very pleased that our collaboration with DSM as an innovative ‘Partner in Sports’ of NOC*NSF will continue. Besides DSM’s financial sponsorship, the innovations that will be generated by linking the company’s knowledge and know-how in the fields of nutrition and materials to the specific needs of top athletes will help boost the performances of the athletes and the development of top level sports in general,’ was the comment of Erica Terpstra, chair of NOC*NSF.

Jan Zuidam, Deputy Chairman of the Managing Board of DSM, gave the following comment on the continued partnership: 'We look forward to being able to contribute to the performances of our top athletes for the years to come as innovation partner of NOC*NSF. Close collaboration with the athletes will play a key role in this: their input is essential for the development of innovations that really make a difference. We are proud to be able to play a part in this success.’

During the Beijing Olympics, DSM’s innovations in both sports nutrition and materials made an important contribution to the performances of the Dutch Olympic Team. The innovations for the sailing discipline are among the many successful examples of close collaboration between DSM and NOC*NSF. For the Dutch women sailors Marcelien de Koning and Lobke Berkhout DSM developed a new Olympic boat in the 470 class, made of a special composite laminate. In addition, athletes in various disciplines made extensive use of the cooling vests and the recovery product PeptoPro developed by DSM.

The launch of the new innovation program took place in the Papendal Dutch National Sports Centre today in the presence of athletes, coaches, support staff and other representatives of NOC*NSF and DSM. In a session around the theme ‘The Dream, going for new Olympic innovations’, the athletes’ needs were analyzed and potential links with DSM’s expertise and know-how were identified. In consultation with NOC*NSF and the sports associations, this list of ideas will be used as a basis for defining a number of concrete innovation projects for Vancouver 2010 and London 2012.

DSM and sports
Sport is about performing at a top level, day in, day out. About passion, ambition, wanting to be the best, about continuous improvement and teamwork. As such, sport embodies a number of DSM’s core values. Just like sportspeople DSM is continuously pushing its limits: Unlimited.DSM. Innovation is one of the main spearheads of DSM’s strategic course, with its focus on Life Sciences and Materials Sciences, and it is equally important in the world of sports: innovations in the fields of nutrition and materials can mean the difference between victory and defeat. Innovation is our Sport™ is therefore an apt title for DSM’s program in the field of sports. DSM and NOC*NSF have been “Partners in Sport” since 2001. For more information please visit: sports.dsm.com.