Gold-prize for athletes - Money for Gold: Debate about Premium Novelty at Olympia
What is an Olympic victory worth? Eternal fame and honor, answer sports romantics. Attention, clicks and followers, say advisors today. Athletes often report a lot of satisfaction and relief after years of hardships.
The Athletics World Association lays down 50,000 US dollars, approximately 46,000 Euro, on every Gold medal in Paris, marking the first time a sports federation distributes financial rewards to its Olympic champions. Athletes are thrilled - other federations and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) express criticism.
Since the announcement of the prizes in April, there has been a heated debate in the sports world. Some observers see a new era of Olympic Games, which in antiquity was a grand festival of peace and later in the modern era was long reserved for amateur athletes. Athletes have been trying for years to put their interests above those of functionaries, federations, and state institutions.
"Smart political signal"
But what is the real concern behind World Athletics (WA)'s novelty? No, says German sports economist Christoph Breuer. He evaluates the prizes in conversation with the German Press Agency less as athletic wages but more as "an interesting and smart political signal, not just for athletics but also for the World Federation and President Sebastian Coe personally."
There are three goals, explains the professor at the German Sports University Cologne. On the one hand, it's about preventing athletes from losing to external, financially powerful events and organizers, as recently happened in golf. Large city marathons are already attracting the best runners with high wages and prizes.
Furthermore, the position of the sport within the Olympics would be influenced, as it would become more attractive for athletes and thus also athlete representatives - who have influence on IOC decisions - would benefit. "Athletics has been a core Olympic sport since time immemorial, but that's not set in stone," warned Breuer. Now, however, athletes are in a strong negotiating position.
"And thirdly, Coe himself puts himself in a position when it comes to choosing the next IOC president," says Breuer. The former middle-distance runner and two-time Olympic champion Coe (67) is rumored to want to succeed IOC President Thomas Bach (70). "He gains wind in his sails from the athletes with this popular measure. And although he is not yet IOC president, he can show that he is capable of modernizing the Olympics and putting athletes more in the spotlight."
Criticism from IOC and other federations
The Ring Sports Federation, of course, knows the political maneuvering of the Athletics boss. The IOC Executive Board emphasized in June that it is not the responsibility of world federations to financially reward athletes at the Olympics. The IOC distributes a portion of its billions in earnings to its members and federations, allowing them to support athletes - largely independent of their performance at the Games. The Association of the Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) complained that other federations could not afford such prizes.
The Athletics World Association grants direct Gold prizes for the first time - Olympians have already financially benefited from their achievements beforehand. Sport economist Breuer reminds us that a Gold medal has always represented a "chair in the economically higher class". Winners are enticed by lucrative advertising and sponsoring deals.
20,000 Euro from Sporthilfe - why not a million?
And bonuses for Gold have been paid in large quantities since long ago, just not by a specialized association or even the IOC. In Germany, the German Sports Aid awards an Olympian a victory with 20,000 Euro, while in other countries, athletes are offered not only much higher monetary rewards but also other prizes such as real estate or pension increases. The former swimming national coach Henning Lambertz has repeatedly demanded that Olympians should earn millions, also as motivation.
Germany's top long jumper Malaika Mihambo reports in the dpa interview that an Olympic victory "does not make me a better or special person". Clear, the triumph in Tokyo 2021 was something quite special that made her "more resilient, more mindful, and happier". She sounds as if 50,000 Dollars would not make much of a difference.
The Athletics World Association, led by President Sebastian Coe, has introduced a new policy to award each Gold medalist in Paris' Olympics with 50,000 US dollars. This move is seen as unprecedented by some, and controversial by others within the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
German sports economist Christoph Breuer, in discussion with the German Press Agency, views this move as more of a "smart political signal" than a financial incentive for athletes. He believes it could potentially strengthen Coe's position in the race to become the next IOC president.
Breuer suggests that the primary aim of this policy is to safeguard athletes from being lured away by financially powerful events and organizers, as seen in golf and large city marathons. He also adds that it could enhance the sport's attractiveness for athletes, thereby influencing IOC decisions.
The IOC and other federations have expressed criticism, with the IOC Executive Board stating it is not their responsibility to financially reward athletes at the Olympics. The Association of the Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) has also voiced concerns over affordability.
Despite this, direct Gold prizes from specialized associations are not a new concept in sports. Bonuses for Gold medalists have been in existence for quite some time, though not always in the form of a large sum from the IOC.
In Germany, Sporthilfe awards an Olympian a victory with 20,000 Euros. Elsewhere, athletes are often offered much higher monetary rewards or other prizes like real estate or pension increases. Former swimming national coach Henning Lambertz has frequently advocated for Olympians to earn millions.
Malaika Mihambo, Germany's top long jumper, in a dpa interview, stated that an Olympic victory does not transform her into a "better or special person". She acknowledged the triumph in Tokyo 2021 as a unique experience that made her "more resilient, more mindful, and happier". Mihambo's comments suggest that a substantial financial reward might not add much value to her personal achievement.
The controversial move by the Athletics World Association, inspired by Sebastian Coe, has injected a fresh perspective into the sports politics landscape, potentially reshaping the role of athletes in the Olympics and beyond.
