La Poste's sports partnerships aim to promote postal values. Since 1984, La Poste has supported top-level sportsmen and women who have won more than 100 medals. The company also encourages all postal workers to take part in sport through its #TeamSportLaPoste programme.
It is also committed to supporting elite and amateur referees who, like postal workers, are trusted players on the ground, serving everyone, everywhere in France.
Drawing on the strength of its networks and regional coverage, La Poste is also a natural partner for major sporting events taking place in France: Albertville Olympic Games in 1992, Football World Cup in 1998 and Euro in 2016, support for the Paris 2024 bid.
The Olympic and Paralympic Games in France are a major, centuries-old event, experienced by millions of supporters and shared by billions of television viewers. La Poste has always been able to harness its postal workers to support major events. It has issued emblematic stamps as far back as 1924, as well as stamps in 1992 and, more recently, in 1998 for the FIFA World Cup and UEFA EURO 2016.
In 2023, La Poste and Geopost became "Official Supporter" of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. In addition to issuing the official Paris 2024 stamp and setting up a post office in the athletes' village, La Poste intends to share the values of sport and thus help to raise the profile of Paris 2024 throughout the country.
La Poste has also become a technical partner of the Torch Relays for the Paris 2024 Games. La Poste has a nationwide presence, with 62,000 postmen and women on the road 6 days a week and 17,000 retail outlets. La Poste wants to make the most of its local presence to enable 140 postmen and women to carry the Torch all the way from Marseille to Paris. The postal workers will act as ambassadors, helping to raise the profile of Paris 2024 in all the towns and cities through which the Torch will pass.
Quote from Philippe Wahl: We were there in 1924. We will be there in 2024. It's worth remembering that the first marathon runner in history was a postal worker: Philippides. He was the one who brought the news of Athens' victory over the Persians after running 42 kilometres. As an official supporter of Paris 2024, we will be bringing the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games to life across the country, close to millions of French citizens, and proud that this global event is taking place in Paris and in France. La Poste and Geopost are supporters who will help Paris 2024 to shine across the country.
Referees, like postal workers, are people who work in the field and who can be trusted: entrusted with a public service mission, they act every day, everywhere and for everyone. La Poste and referees share the same values: respect, courage, trust, fair play and sportsmanship.
For more than 15 years, La Poste has been working with professional football, rugby, basketball and handball federations and leagues through its "Tous arbitres" (all referees) programme, to help the industry become more professional, promote fair play and raise awareness of the essential role of referees among retail customers.
With its sports partners, La Poste has contributed to the recruitment and training of several hundred referees.
It has initiated innovative educational initiatives: the sportsmanship card, the entertaining app "Tous arbitres" (all referees) and the referees express website. It has supported video-assisted refereeing (VAR) and promoted greater gender equality in the industry.
The Journées de l'Arbitrage (refereeing days) are at the centre of the scheme, and have established themselves as the national event that puts referees - elite, amateur and trainee - in the spotlight every year.