IAAF President Sebastian Coe announces another sponsorship deal – this time with Japanese components company TDK Corporation, who have signed on for another 10 years having been a partner since 1983 ©Getty Images

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has signed another sponsorship deal after renewing its long-standing relationship with Japanese components company TDK Corporation.

It is the third sponsorship deal this week the IAAF have announced to coincide with the start of the World Championships. 

On Wednesday (September 25) they revealed that Chinese conglomerate the Wanda Group are to become the title sponsor of the IAAF Diamond League in a multi-million dollar deal due to last until 2029.

The following day Japanese sports shoes and apparel manufacturer ASICS signed a 10-year deal having initially stepped in to replace Adidas in 2016 when the German company ended its sponsorship early because of the Russian doping crisis. 

In June, the IAAF extended its partnership with optics company Seiko, also based in Japan, for 10 more years.

In November of last year the IAAF had also agreed a deal until 2022 with the Qatar National Bank.

It means all of the IAAF's top partners are Asian companies. 

TDK's relationship with the IAAF began when they became the men's bib partner for the first edition of the World Championships in Helsinki in 1983. 

TDK Corporation have sponsored the IAAF since the first World Championships at Helsinki in 1983 ©Getty Images
TDK Corporation have sponsored the IAAF since the first World Championships at Helsinki in 1983 ©Getty Images

TDK's corporate motto – "Contribute to culture and industry through creativity" – is in line with the IAAF's objective of contributing to society through expansion and development of the sport of athletics, the world governing body claimed when announcing the new deal. 

"TDK has been a partner of ours since our very first World Championships in 1983, so I am delighted that they will continue their long-standing partnership with the IAAF," IAAF President Sebastian Coe said. 

"The sport has seen many changes since TDK's involvement with the IAAF first began and through this new agreement TDK will continue to contribute to the growth of our sport over the next ten years."

In addition to acting as bib partners at the IAAF World Championships, TDK will also continue presenting the men's world record programme. 

Any athlete who breaks a world record in a men's event at the Championships will be awarded a cash bonus of $100,000 (£81,000/€91,000).

"TDK has supported the IAAF World Athletics Championships since the first edition was held in 1983, and has continued to cooperate with the IAAF for the development of the event," Shigenao Ishiguro, President and chief executive of TDK, said. 

"For the following 10 years, TDK will remain supportive of all the endeavouring athletes in the world, and towards the development of the sport of athletics."