Prize Money Distributed To Gold Medalists By World Athletics Is Discriminatory, Says European Olympic Committees
The decision by World Athletics (WA) to offer prize money to medallists at the Paris Olympics has sparked controversy.
European Olympic Committees president Spyros Capralos criticised the move, calling it "discriminatory" and contrary to Olympic values. WA will provide $50,000 to each of its 48 gold medallists,but not to its silver or bronze medallists.
Capralos emphasised that athletes compete for the values of the Olympic Games, not monetary rewards. He pointed out that national Olympic committees and governments already offer bonuses for medal winners, and argued that awarding money only to gold medallists undermines solidarity.
As the Olympics are an amateur sports event, not a professional sports event, the IOC does not award prize money. Instead, they distribute funding through international federations and national Olympic committees.
International Boxing Association Also Facing Criticism For Offering Prize Money At Olympics
The International Boxing Association (IBA) has also drawn criticism as they plan to award $100,000 to gold, $50,000 to silver, and $25,000 to bronze medallists. However, the IBA are not involved with the organisation of the olympics following their suspension by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2019 over allegations of corruption before they were stripped of their recognition in 2023 due to unresolved issues regarding governance and financial clarity.
The IOC is urging the creation of a new global body for boxing, warning that athletes affiliated with the IBA might be barred from the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
The IOC and other international federations are unhappy with WA and IBA for not consulting them before making these decisions. Capralos noted that there have been no discussions with either organisation since the announcements and mentioned discussions of the matter may take place at the European athletics championships in Rome.
As the Paris Olympics approach, with 10,500 athletes set to compete across 32 sports, the debate over prize money highlights broader tensions about the principles and future of the Olympic movement.
