The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has revealed a new grant scheme offering $10,000 (£7,600) to every future Olympian for each Olympic Games they compete in. This 'fit for the future Olympian grant' is designed to provide financial assistance for athletes' sporting careers or aid their transition into other professions after their competitive years. The initiative marks a significant shift in how the IOC directly supports its athletes.
A substantial fund of $140 million (£106.5 million) will be set aside for each Olympic Games to facilitate these grants. It is anticipated that around 14,000 Olympians per Games will meet the eligibility criteria. Athletes who participated in this year's Winter Olympics will be among the first able to apply for the funding. Importantly, the grant will not be extended to any athlete found guilty of an anti-doping violation or those who breach the IOC's code of ethics, conditions of participation, or the Olympic Charter.
The distribution of these grants will be managed through existing National Olympic Committee (NOC) structures. It has been confirmed that this new support will not diminish any existing programmes or funding already provided by the IOC to NOCs, international sports federations, Olympic organising committees, or Olympic Solidarity. While some national Olympic committees offer prize money to their athletes, the British Olympic Association (BOA) is not currently one of them, meaning this new IOC grant could be particularly impactful for British athletes.
Pau Gasol, a three-time basketball medallist for Spain and now chair of the IOC's Athletes' Commission, clarified the purpose of the grant, stating, 'This is not prize money. This is about recognising the journey and the commitment it takes to become an Olympian.' He emphasised that it acknowledges the sacrifices and dedication required to reach the Olympic stage, and honours the broader Olympic community. The IOC aims for the application process for Olympians competing in 2026 to open by the end of this year, with initial payments expected in 2027.
This new initiative is among the first actions stemming from the IOC's 'fit for the future' framework, which seeks innovative ways to support athletes directly. It comes as World Athletics became the first international federation to award Olympic prize money at the Paris 2024 Games, offering $50,000 (£38,000) to gold medallists, with plans to extend this to silver and bronze medallists at Los Angeles 2028. While IOC president Kirsty Coventry has expressed reservations about offering Olympic prize money directly, she believes the organisation must 'find more ways to directly impact athletes and help them on their journey,' underscoring the philosophy behind this new grant.