The new athletes - American duo Jessica Long, Paralympic swimmer, and Alana Nichols (pictured), wheelchair basketball player, and Canadian pair Benoit Huot (pictured), Paralympic swimmer, and Richard Peter, wheelchair basketball player - now join an elite group of long-time Visa-sponsored athletes that includes both Olympic and Paralympic champions.

In the run up to the London 2012 Paralympics, Visa, who has sponsored the Games for over 25 years, will support more than 50 individual athletes along with national teams from more than 20 countries, including the US, Canada, Brazil, China, the UK, South Africa and Russia.


The latest four athletes will join these other sporting stars to share their inspiring stories in Visa's global London 2012 marketing campaign - Go World - to connect with cardholders and help drive preference for and usage of Visa products worldwide.

"The Paralympic Games begin and end with the athletes, and we're excited to add these four remarkable individuals to our growing roster of Visa-sponsored athletes," said Visa's chief marketing officer and global head of strategy and corporate development Antonio Lucio.

"Building on our legacy of athlete support since 1986, we remain committed to helping Paralympic hopefuls achieve their lifelong goals as they embark on the greatest athletic challenges of their lives."

Visa's athlete selection process is based on a variety of criteria including their personal journey to the Paralympic Games, athletic achievements, dedication to developing their sports, and active community involvement.

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