World Athletics' decision to distribute a bonus of $50.000 to each of the athletics gold medalists at the 2024 Paris Games continues to arouse criticism in the Olympic movement. But, without much surprise, it is unanimous among American athletes. Gathered this week in New York on the occasion of the Media Summit of the American Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), they expressed one after the other to the press their support for such an initiative. Former athlete Sanya Richards-Ross (pictured above), four-time Olympic gold medalist in the 400m and relay, now a consultant for the channel NBC, set the tone. “ I am very happy to see World Athletics leading the way on a topic that I believe should have been addressed long ago, she explained during a round table dedicated to the issue. I think Olympic athletes deserve to be paid, they deserve to be rewarded. I hope other sports will follow, including the Paralympic organizations, because each of these athletes represents the best that there is. I am very, very proud of World Athletics. I hope they do more in the future, and that other organizations do the same. » World Athletics has already announced its intention to expand its prize money to silver and bronze medalists starting at the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
