USOC's Official Medical Service Provider Signs Eight Oly Hopefuls For Campaign

DISC Sports & Spine Center, the USOC's official medical service provider, has signed eight athletes for a promotional campaign that will run through the London Games. Track and field athletes Lolo Jones (hurdles), Brianna Glenn (long jump), Jenny Adams (hurdles) and Brad Walker (pole vault), swimmers Eric Shanteau and Jessica Hardy, BMX rider Mike Day and triathlete Sarah Haskins will be featured in a "Champion Care" program that will see DISC offer video, interviews and training footage highlighting the athletes' journey to the Games. The video will be posted on the DISC website and YouTube. The athletes will receive cash stipends to help underwrite their training and value-in-kind healthcare treatment (Tripp Mickle, SportsBusiness Journal).

GALAXY QUEST: In Toronto, Randy Starkman reports Gold Medal-winning Canadian speed skater Christine Nesbitt last weekend at the world championships wore the logo of Dutch telecom company Galaxy Group "over her heart and on her left shoulder." Nesbitt is a "huge name in the Netherlands and speed skating is televised there like hockey is [in Canada] so they'll get tons of exposure." Canadian athletes and teams "have to take it where they can get it," as there was "no windfall" for Gold Medalists in the '10 Vancouver Games. Nesbitt did sign a deal recently with compression wear company CEP Canada, but it likely "wasn't for significant dollars" (THESTAR.com, 1/31).