The Olympic dream just got a whole lot more appealing! In a groundbreaking move that signals a seismic shift in its amateur ethos, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced it will now pay athletes to compete at the Games. This revolutionary change – the first of its kind in 130 years – will see a staggering £106 million fund established to give every participant a sizeable grant of £7,600.
The clock is ticking for the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, which will welcome the first beneficiaries of this game-changing policy. A staggering 14,000 athletes from both Summer and Winter Games will be eligible for the payment, which will hit their bank accounts roughly six months after they've hung up their boots – provided, of course, they stay clean of doping and adhere to Olympic values.
Pau Gasol, a Spanish basketball legend and head of the IOC's athletes' commission, hailed this grant as a universal lifeline for Olympians. "This grant is available to every single one of us," he declared, stressing that it's not just reserved for medal winners or athletes from certain nations. He acknowledged the diverse journeys and sacrifices made by all Olympians – from NBA stars to those on more modest incomes – to reach the pinnacle of their sport.
This bold initiative, while not officially prize money, marks a significant departure in IOC policy under Kirsty Coventry's leadership. It follows other reforms, including enhanced protections for female athletes introduced in March, all part of her 'Fit for the Future' agenda aimed at keeping the Olympics top of the global sporting tree. Coventry hailed this grant as just the beginning of her vision, saying, "This is the start of this next chapter."
The move has won widespread support from top brass within the sporting world, including Sebastian Coe, a former Olympic champion and rival to Coventry for the IOC top job last year. Lord Coe, who oversaw a similar initiative to hand out £39,000 to track and field champions at the 2024 Paris Olympics, described it as "a historic moment for our movement." The IOC is also expected to announce the host cities for the 2036 Olympics next year – with over ten countries reportedly eyeing up the chance to stage the Games.