Matt Richards says stronger incentives are needed to fend off the threat of expanded gaming. Photo: Getty Images/Alex Pantling
UK History-making swimmers have claimed prize money in the Olympic sport after track stars were offered $50,000 (£39,800) for gold in Paris this summer.
Tom Dean, the reigning two-time Olympian from Britain's most successful swimming team, said it was the athletes who were “doing the work that people want to see” and noted that the Olympics had already moved away from its strict rules. amateur origin.
Duncan Scott, who became Britain's most decorated Olympian at the Tokyo Games, said there are “so many superstars in our sport who don't get the attention they deserve” and stressed that things need to change financially “When I tell people that we don't get any prize money for winning Olympic gold medals, it's always a shock and a surprise,” Dean said.
The decision to pay athletics stars was made by World Athletics, of which Lord Coe is president, rather than the IOC, which distributes money to governing bodies and brought in around $7.6bn (£6.06bn) during the latest cycle of the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games
According to media reports last year, the “salaries and short-term benefits” of members of the IOC executive management also amounted to about $13.95 million (£11.5 million) in 2021 and $11.65 million dollars (£9.6 million) in 2020. /p>
“My position is that the Olympics are incredible, winning Olympic gold is incredible,” Richards said. “That’s why we do it, knowing that we’re not going to make money from it. Do I think this is necessarily correct? Probably not when the Olympics bring in that kind of revenue. This is crazy money. Big business.
“When you look at it, you think, 'Well, this makes a lot of money, but then the athletes won't really be able to gain any of it.' If the IOC came and [said], 'We'll just put out the total amount, that's what medals are worth in all sports,' that would make a lot of athletes a lot happier.”
Richards also highlighted the competing specter of extended games – a concept that would offer athletes up to $1 million (£800,000) for races where participants would be allowed to take illegal drugs.
“We have these extended games planned games, offering athletes stupid money to become drug cheats and compete in similar swimming competitions,” he said.
“To protect the sport, to protect the Olympic Games and to protect everything that we're very excited about what we're doing, governing bodies like World Aquatics and the IOC are going to have to start giving money to athletes so they don't do these kinds of things.”
Dean also noted that swimmers put just as much into their sport as athletes. They are also typically the most popular Olympic sport in the first half of any Games.
“They are struggling to put food on their tables.”
“Obviously people aren't in it for the money, and when you see your other fellow Olympians who will be getting paid, it's a pretty obvious contrast,” he said.
“I don't think you You won't find a single swimmer who disagrees with the statement that more money should be given to athletes who are competing at this stage and who have given so many years of hard work to be where they are and perform. in front of millions of people.”
Richards stressed that Britain's elite swimmers are fortunate to receive financial support from the National Lottery through UK Sport, but noted the varying levels of financial support for training on a full-time basis. “We receive funding to support our daily lives,” he said. “But even in swimming there are athletes who are at the bottom of British sporting funding who struggle to make ends meet every week. They're struggling to put food on their tables, and that's just for them, let alone if they have families.
“You see stories of athletes at the Olympics who essentially went bankrupt , trying to allow myself to be able to go. And when the Olympics bring in so much money, I just don't think it's right.
“We need to talk about how we can better support athletes at the Olympics, because these are no longer amateur games. There are basketball players there who earn hundreds of millions a year. Football players, tennis players, golfers are in the same position.”
World Aquatics did consider offering prize money ahead of the 2021 Tokyo Games, but ultimately decided to put more money into its own events.
The IOC says it already redistributes 90% of all its revenues , in particular for the benefit of national Olympic committees such as the British Olympic Association and international federations such as World Athletics.
It is through its share of broadcast revenue that World Athletics decided to become the first federation to directly offer prize money to its competitors. “Every day, the equivalent of $4.2 million [£3.38 million] goes to help athletes and sports organizations at all levels around the world,” the IOC said in a statement. “Each International Federation and National Olympic Committee must determine how best to serve its athletes and the global development of its sport.”
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