Announcing the award at the team send off dinner hosted by the company, Mr M.S. Yu, President and CEO, Samsung India, hoped that the award will serve as a good motivation for the team members to excel in their performance and win more gold medals for the country.

The Samsung MVP will be given to that sportsperson who matches the maximum number of the five criteria laid out by the company. The criteria are: the player creates a world record and/or an Asian Games record, displays consistency in performance in relation to his/her performance in the previous Asian Games, wins multiple gold medals and finally for his/her fighting spirit.

The award will be decided upon by a panel of five eminent sports journalists who will be in Bangkok to witness the Asian Games. Samsung launched the Bangkok Asian Games programme in India in November last year with `Samsung Harmony Night.' The contract with Indian Olympic Association for sponsorship of the Indian team to the Asian Games was signed on November 26, 1997 and subsequently in December, Samsung sponsored the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) general assembly and lighting of the permanent Asian Games flame ceremony held at the National Stadium here.