Kuwait Times

Published Date: July 31, 2008
By Ahmad Al-Khaled, Staff writer

KUWAIT: Wataniya Telecom announced yesterday that it will be sponsoring the Kuwaiti national team during their participation in the Olympic Games in Beijing, China which is set to begin in just one week. Wataniya GM and CEO Scott Gegenheimer said, "I appreciate the dedication and hard work it takes to compete at the international level and compete in the Olympics.

In supporting the team, Gegenheimer said, "we have a chance to support healthy living and sportsmanship." Obeid Zayed Al-Anzi, Secretary General of the Kuwait Olympic Committee, thanking Wataniya for its sponsorship, said, "We appreciate all their efforts and commitment as a national private company that has spared no efforts in providing the required quality support.

Eight Kuwaiti Olympians will be participating in the Beijing games. The three-man shooting team consists of Abdulla Al-Reshedi, Zaid Al-Mutairi and Nasser Al-Mugled. The country will be represented in track and field events by Mohammed Al-Azmi and Ali Al-Zankawi, while Mohammed Madoo will participate in the swimming events, Talal Al-Enezi in Judo, and Ibrahim Al-Hassan in Ping Pong. In the history of Kuwait's Olympic participation, shooting has been the countries favored event and it is currently the only
sport in which Kuwait has won a medal.

Wataniya Telecom, which was launched in 1999, was Kuwait's first privately-owned operator and is a leader in the local market. Qatar Telecom recently acquired controlling shares in the company. The market penetration of mobile usage in Kuwait is more than 93 percent, one of the highest rates worldwide. Wataniya is expanding steadily throughout the MENA region and into Asia and, with Qtel, now operates in ten countries.

Emphasizing that Wataniya is a Kuwaiti company, Gegenheimer explained, "Wataniya strongly believes in giving back to the community in which it operates. Supporting the community is one of our key commitments and at the core of our strategy.

Gegenheimer expressed great pride at the company's involvement with Kuwait's Olympic participation, saying, "Wataniya has exceeded the concept of only being a telecom provider or financial supporter; it has been working hard to fulfill its social commitment through an extensive and comprehensive sponsorships program.

This is just another way we are working closely with Kuwait's society." Gegenheimer said of the sponsorship, which is part of the companies broad Corporate Responsibility Program that has sponsored innumerable charities and causes in the state over the past nine years.