Footwear brand Skechers Malaysia and the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) is partnering up for the XXXIIII Olympic Games Paris 2024. Skechers Malaysia will be the official footwear for the Malaysian Contingent, marking the brand's first time partnering with the OCM
Through this partnership, both organisations hope to mark the beginning of a long-term collaboration to promote and grow local sports together.
As part of the collaboration, Skechers Malaysia will be equipping the entire Malaysian contingent with 100 sets of high-performance footwear.
Each set includes a pair of Skechers Supersonic Max shoes during the flag handing-over ceremony in Malaysia and a pair of Skechers USA Garza Dorado shoes with its slip-in function. The set also includes a pair of Skechers Work Sure Track Warfell shoes for the prestigious "March-in" Parade of Nations.
The sponsorship has a total value of RM194,290, said a statement seen by A+M.
“We are incredibly grateful for Skechers Malaysia’s commitment to supporting our national athletes with this partnership. The brand’s dedication to excellence perfectly aligns with our own and we are confident that this partnership will play an integral role in bolstering the success of our athletes in Paris”, said Mohd Nazifuddin, secretary general of the OCM.
Skechers' sponsorship extends beyond providing footwear, the company will also be contributing to Malaysia's “Road to Gold” initiative, a nationwide campaign aimed to secure Malaysia’s first-ever Olympic gold medal.
"Skechers Malaysia is honoured to support the OCM and its talented athletes on their journey to Olympic glory. This partnership is not just a sponsorship, it is a shared vision for success," said Stephanie Chang, senior general manager of Skechers Malaysia.
"We are committed to providing the best comfort and support our athletes need to achieve their full potential on the world’s biggest sporting stage and bring victory to Malaysia", added Chang.
Dressing the Malaysia contingent has been a challenge so far. Recently, sports minister Hannah Yeoh came forward to say that the launched Malaysia Olympic attire will not be used in the opening ceremony. She reportedly added that there is another set of official attire for the event and that she respects OCM and their sponsorship contract with Yonex.
This comes after the organiser of the 2024 World Olympic Day celebration, MY Creative Moments, reportedly apologised to the OCM, the ministry of youth and sports (KBS) and sports fans of the country for the "flawed" launch of Malaysia's Olympic attire.
In a statement, MY Creative Moments' managing director Wong Kang Woon reportedly acknowledged the shortcomings and took responsibility for any flaws in the management and organisation of the event, as well as for attracting comments from fans and netizens that have affected the overall image of OCM.
According to Malay Mail, sports fans on social media expressed displeasure with the design, and have claimed it to be "backward and uninspiring" compared to previous official attire of the national contingent.
