IRVINE, CA, February 23rd, 2009 – FINA has extended its agreement with the Mikasa Corporation of Japan for the period 2009-2012. Mikasa will be the exclusive supplier of water polo balls #W6000W for Men and #W6009W for Women for all FINA-governed water polo competitions during this period, including the FINA World Championships, which will be held in Rome from July 18-August 2 this year, and the water polo competitions of the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Other FINA competitions part of this package are the annual series of the World Leagues (for men and women), the Junior World Championships (for men and women) in 2009 and 2011, the World Cups (for men and women) in 2010, and the World Championships in 2011.

“Mikasa has been a long-term partner of FINA in the development of the first Olympic team sport, Water Polo. The quality of its products and the modern and dynamic design of its balls are elements that contribute to the beauty of this spectacular game and certainly bring a strong added-value to this discipline”, noted FINA President Mustapha Larfaoui.

"Mikasa Corporation is honored to continue its long standing support of FINA”, said its President Taketoshi Saeki.