World Athletics Facing Prize Money Backlash from Sports Federations

A group of international sports federations say World Athletics’ decision to award prize money at the Paris Olympics “undermines the values of Olympism and the uniqueness of the Games”.

Last week World Athletics announced it will become the first federation to offer prize money at an Olympics this summer.

World Athletics will reward gold medallists at this year’s Olympic Games in Paris with $50,000 (£39,400) in prizes.

In a statement, the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations said it was “neither informed nor consulted”, despite World Athletics being one of its members.

It said that the federations it represents have “expressed several concerns”.