The World Athletics shocked the sports world with its recent announcement to pay gold medallists a sum of $50,000 each for their exemplary performance. This move, aimed at opening up a new revenue stream for athletes, has sparked a debate over its ethics.
While some athletes welcomed the news with joy, the Olympic sports body criticized the decision, stating that it “undermines the values of Olympism and the uniqueness of the games.” Critics argue that $50,000 is a meager sum considering the sacrifices athletes make and the resources they invest in their training.
Comparing the prize money offered by World Athletics and the USA to other countries, it becomes evident that both are lagging behind significantly. For instance, China offers a whopping $720,000 to its athletes, while Singapore and Taiwan, countries with smaller GDPs than the USA, pay $738,000 and $716,000 respectively for a gold medal.
Countries like Indonesia, Bangladesh, Italy, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Philippines, Hungary, and Kosovo also offer higher prize money to their athletes, despite having lesser purchasing power than the USA. This raises concerns about whether the rewards provided by World Athletics and the USA are enough to sustain the winning spirit of athletes.
Apart from monetary benefits, countries like the Philippines also offer additional incentives to their athletes, such as houses, condos, and unlimited flight tickets. This highlights the disparity in rewards for athletes across different countries and underscores the need for governing bodies to reevaluate the benefits provided to athletes in proportion to their efforts and achievements.