(BEIJING, June 8) -- Atos Origin, an international IT services company and Worldwide IT Partner for the Olympic Games, announced that it has signed an agreement with the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG), under which Atos Origin will provide IT support and services, as well as become a sponsor for the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games. The agreement makes Atos Origin the first TOP Partner of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games that has also committed to sponsor the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games.

As the Information Technology Integrator and a critical software and systems provider, Atos Origin will be responsible for providing IT products and services, system customization, integration and operations services for the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games.

The two main systems that are integral to the information system of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games are the Games Management System (GMS), which provides information technology support for the management and organization of the Paralympic Games, and the Information Diffusion System (IDS), which relays on-site competition results and athlete information to media representatives and Olympic family members, as well as to millions of TV and Internet viewers around the world. Atos Origin will design, develop, test, and deploy the two systems.

In addition to building an IT system to meet the special needs of the Paralympic sports, Atos Origin will also customize its current applications to reflect the look and feel of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games and provide full Chinese language support, the same as with the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

"We are pleased that Atos Origin will bring its in-depth knowledge and experience into the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games. Having the same IT integrator for both Olympic Games and Paralympic Games undoubtedly helps us to achieve our goal of 'Two Games, Same Excellence'", said Yang Yichun, Director of BOCOG Technology.

"We are happy to have won the support from Atos Origin for the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, as the agreement has made Atos Origin the first TOP Partner to sponsor the Beijing Paralympic Games and the Chinese Paralympic Committee and athletes. We hope there will be more sponsors to join us to promote the Paralympic movement." said Madame Yuan Bin, Director of BOCOG Marketing.

"As the Worldwide IT Partner for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, we are honored to extend our partnership with BOCOG to the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games. Atos Origin has been providing IT services and support for many of the world's large events for more than 20 years. We have full confidence in delivering our services on time and within budget for the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games," said Patrick Adiba, Executive Vice President, Olympics and Major Events, Atos Origin.

The Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games is the 13th Paralympic Games and will be held from September 6 to 17 in Beijing, two weeks after the completion of the Olympic Games. The Games will include 20 sports, among which 18 will be held in Beijing. It is estimated that approximately 4,000 athletes, 2,500 coaches and officials from 150 countries and regions will be attending the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games.

The Atos Origin contract with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is the largest sports-related IT contract, covering six Olympiads: Salt Lake City in 2002, operated as SchlumbergerSema; Athens in 2004; Torino in 2006; Beijing in 2008; Vancouver in 2010; and London in 2012. Atos Origin has primary responsibility for Information Technology, which is related to consulting, systems integration, operations management, information security and software applications development for the Olympic Games.

In addition to its commitment to the International Olympic Movement as Worldwide IT Partner, Atos Origin began its active involvement with the International Paralympic Movement in 2002. Atos Origin has been a strong believer in this international movement empowering people and helping them achieve goals they might not have otherwise believed they could attain.

About Atos Origin

Atos Origin is an international information technology (IT) services company. Its business is turning client vision into results through the application of consulting, systems integration and managed operations. The company's annual revenues are EUR 5, 4 billion and it employs over 50,000 people in 40 countries. Atos Origin is the Worldwide Information Technology Partner for the Olympic Games.