Kaspersky Lab facilitates Australian football move into China, putting the icing on the cake for World Expo

Kaspersky Lab, the leading provider of information security solutions, announced on 16 May 2010 that Kaspersky Cup - AFL Shanghai Showdown is officially launched at the Shanghai Jiangwan Sports Centre today. This event is organized by the Organizing Committee of the Australian Football League with the dedicated support of Kaspersky Lab. Victorian Premier John Brumby personally kicked the opening goal for Australian Football League (AFL), thereby declaring the countdown to the start of the Kaspersky Cup - AFL Shanghai Showdown to be played in October this year.

Australian Football, or rugby to some people, combines the rules of football and rugby. Its most outstanding features are its high speed and great freedom of movement of the ball. During the competitions, many Australians are always attracted to watch the games at the stadiums or at home via TV telecast. In Australia, the popularity of Australian Football is not lower than that of the U.S. Super Bowl or the European Champions League Football. As the key partner of Melbourne Football Club, the world renowned information security solutions provider Kaspersky Lab is specially participating in the organization of this Kaspersky Cup - AFL Shanghai Showdown. It aims to put the icing on the cake for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo and more directly present this grand event to the Chinese audience. The Managing Director for Kaspersky Lab APAC, Mr. Harry Cheung, said, “We are very pleased to be able to bring Australian football into China and present it to the Chinese audience during the World Expo in Shanghai. Kaspersky Lab will give full support to this Kaspersky Cup - AFL Shanghai Showdown and show the world the excellent Sino-Australian culture.

It is understood that Kaspersky Lab and Australian Football League’s Melbourne Football Club have last year signed a three-year sponsorship agreement worth a total amount of several millions of U.S. dollars, with the aim to jointly establish and improve Kaspersky’s IT security brand confidence and promote international cultural exchange. It can be said that this Kaspersky Cup - AFL Shanghai Showdown is the best expression of the goals of their partnership. When the time comes, Melbourne Football Club and Brisbane Lions Club are bound to put on a passionate show, and we believe that many viewers will be deeply mesmerized.