The decision of the World Association of Athletics of offering cash prizes to gold medalists in the Olympic Games Paris 2024 is discriminatory and goes against Olympic values, the president of the European Olympic Committees, Spyros Capralos, said on Friday.
The World Athletics Association (WA) and the International Boxing Association (IBA) have announced payments for their own medalists. The WA will offer $50,000 in prizes to its 48 Olympic champions in Paris.
The IBA has said it will offer money to all medalists at the Games from July 26 to August 11, with $100,000 for gold medal winners, $50,000 for silver medal winners and $25,000 for bronze medal winners.
These decisions have angered other international federations, as well as the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which considers the measure a direct interference in its event without prior consultation.
“We believe that in the Olympic Games the athletes go there to compete for the values of the Olympic Games and their last concern is to get money and bonuses”said Capralos, who is also an IOC member.
“I think all countries, through their National Olympic Committees and their governments, have established bonuses for athletes who win medals,” Capralos said at a news conference in Romania.
“I think that limiting yourself to giving some money to the gold winner is discriminatory and does not follow the principles of solidarity”.
Capralos stated that there had been no talks with either international federation since their recent announcements.
He said he would attend the European athletics championships in Rome that begin on Friday, hinting at possible discussions on the matter. But he claimed there was no contact with the IBA.
A total of 10,500 athletes are expected to compete in 32 sports in Paris.
Source: Ambito
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