Criticism continues, in the Olympic movement, after the decision of World Athletics to award a bonus of 50.000 dollars to each of the gold medalists in athletics at the Paris 2024 Games. As expected, the Association of International Olympic Sports Federations (ASOIF) took a position against this historic initiative. It explains in a press release that it was “not neither informed nor consulted prior to this announcement”. Above all, it suggests that the decision of World Athletics “ undermines the values of Olympism and the unique character of the Games." "One cannot and should not attach a price to an Olympic gold medal and, in many cases, Olympic medalists benefit indirectly from commercial support.", insists ASOIF, recalling that “ not all sports could or should replicate this approach, even if they wanted to (…) If the Olympics are considered the pinnacle of every sport, then the prize money should be comparable and proportionate to the prizes awarded in the the most prestigious competitions in each sport. This is technically and financially unfeasible. »The body finally recalls that there is a consensus on the fact that Olympic revenues should, at least for the most commercially successful and financially independent international federations, be invested as a priority in development and integrity issues. . No trace in the press release, however, of any sanction from ASOIF against World Athletics for having decided to get out of the way.
