The International Olympic Committee has a solidarity model where no direct payments are made to athletes either to participate or to win.
IOC president Kirsty Coventry has reignited the debate over whether athletes should be paid directly at the Olympics.
The Zimbabwean, who secured two gold medals at the Olympic Swimming Games, told New Zealand outlet Sport Nation earlier this week that “I don’t believe in paying athletes.”
He said: “I’m from a small country, I come from a sport that doesn’t necessarily pay athletes very well, and I still don’t think we should be paying athletes at the Olympics.
“(We need to) find more ways to directly impact athletes and find ways to help them on their way to becoming an Olympian and while they’re an Olympian.”
The IOC’s official model is based on redistributing its revenues to the Olympic movement, organizing committees, federations, national committees and development programs. The organization states that the solidarity model exists to assist National Olympic Committees in their athlete development programs.
Coventry added: “I was an Olympic Solidarity scholarship holder without that money. I’m not sure I would have been as successful, so I’m so grateful for that.”
At the Paris Olympics, the World Athletics Ring fenced off $2.4 million of the IOC’s revenue share to reward athletes who secured gold medals.
Each champion in 48 athletics competitions in the French capital received $50,000In a move to reward the silver and bronze medalists of Los Angeles 2028.
World Athletics President Seb Coe said. “While it’s impossible to put a market value on winning an Olympic medal, or the commitment and focus it takes to even represent your country at the Olympics, I think it’s important that we start somewhere and make sure that some of the revenue our athletes earn at the Olympics goes directly back to those who make the World Games happen.”
Coventry also discussed whether the IOC should offer compensation to athletes when their name, likeness and likeness (NIL) is used. Unlike the NCAA system, the rules changed in 2021, allowing the IOC to use athletes’ NILs to promote or celebrate games without financial benefit to the athletes.
The president of IOC said. “Well, they get nice places. They get beautiful villages. They get a nice experience. And it all comes from the money we raise.”
