Cash Incentive for Olympic Gold Medal Winners Not Enough – Mills

Head coach of Racers track club, Glen Mills, had mixed reactions to World Athletics decision to reward gold medallists with a cash prize at the Paris Olympics.

Athletics’ international federation announced on Wednesday that it would be the first sport to offer prize monies in the history of the Games, with winners in the 48 disciplines to each receive US $50,000.

World Athletics President Lord Sebastian Coe said World Athletics chief executive Jon Ridgeon had given the IOC the heads-up about the announcement on Wednesday morning but confirmed the initiative had not been discussed with the IOC in advance.

Mills says this is a good first step in showing appreciation to the athletes.

Coe says he hopes the IOC would share in this principle, given their avowed commitment to ensure that revenues raised through the Olympic Movement find their way back onto the front line.

The IOC redistributes 90 per cent of all its income, in particular to the national Olympic committees and international federations.

A total prize pot of US $2.4 million has been ring-fenced by World Athletics for Paris, with the federation committed to introducing prize money for silver and bronze medallists from the Los Angeles 2028 Games onwards.

Mills says the move by World Athletes is not far reaching enough.

Glen Mills.

The US $50,000 gold medal prize will be split between the winning team in relay events.