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Four Mega-Sports Kept In Time by Tissot Watch

Tuesday - 12 February 2013 By Aarti Mistry

"The appeal of sports is in the competition, and timing is such an integral part of this that getting it exactly right, time after time, is imperative." - Tissot

Tissot is the official timekeeper for some of the world's most time critical sports.

The watchmaker, which created the first dual timezone pocket watch in 1853 and the first anti-magnetic wristwatch in 1929, is deservedly proud of its status as official timekeeper.

"Does [timekeeping] mean that Tissot just puts its logo next to the clock and calls it a day?" Tissot says. "Far from it. Being the Official Timekeeper means that Tissot has the privilege and the responsibility of actually timing each of these sports."

Here are four of the top sports timed by Tissot.

1. Moto GP

MotoGP riders race the world's fastest motorbikes, which cannot be ridden legally on public roads.

Races frequently end in a thrilling final lap showdown between the leading riders, with only thousandths of a second separating them at the finish line.

"Riding a race bike is an art - a thing that you do because you feel something inside." Valentino Rossi, 5 times MotoGP Champion

2. The International Basketball Federation (FIBA)

Basketball teams can score dozens or even hundreds of points in a game, yet the winner is often decided by a margin of one or two points, scored in the final seconds of the game.

This makes the timekeeper's role crucial in deciding the outcome of games. Make a timekeeping mistake, and the wrong team could go home victorious.

FIBA was founded in Geneva in 1932, and has organized a Basketball World Cup every four years since 1950.

3. FIM Superbike

Founded in 1988, FIM Superbike pits the world's greatest road-legal motorbikes against one another.

Races are fast and unpredictable, with riders battling for podium position and to beat their best time.

4. Australian Football League (AFL)

Aussie rules football is Australia's most popular sport, making the most watched sporting league in the country.

Thirty six players - 18 on each team - compete on a pitch the size of a cricket field.

With tripping and pushing allowed, it is one of the most physically demanding contact sports in the world.

"It's got to be a do-or-die effort. It's got to be a determined effort. You've got to show me all the guts and determination you've got in your body. You've got to inspire me with this last quarter finish. You've been in front all day and you've got to stay there." Ted Whitten, 'Mr Football', record breaking Aussie rules player