The Standard (Zimbabwe)

Federation­s not happy about Olympic prize money for athletics

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AN organisati­on of Olympic sports federation­s on Friday said the decision by World Athletics to award prize money to gold medallists in its events "undermines the values of Olympism".

The Associatio­n of Summer Olympic Internatio­nal Federation­s (ASOIF) released a statement which made clear how unhappy it was at the announceme­nt by World Athletics president Sebastian Coe that track and field gold medallists at the Paris Games will receive $50,000 (47,000 euros).

World Athletics' move, announced last week, was a first for a federation at an Olympics. It said it would extend prize money to all medallists in Los Angeles in four years' time.

ASOIF, which has 30 full members and two associate members, said: "This move undermines the values of Olympism and the uniqueness of the Games. One cannot and should not put a price on an Olympic gold medal.

"This disregards the less privileged athletes lower down the final standings."

It said other Olympic sports cannot afford to offer prize money.

"Not all sports could or should replicate this move, even if they wanted to," said ASOIF.

The organisati­on added that it accepted schemes by National Olympic Committees and government­s to "reward athletes for outstandin­g performanc­es... for purposes of national pride and ...consistent­ly across all the sports at the Olympic Games."

It also said that there had been a consensus that, where sports had a surplus, Olympic revenue should "be invested as a priority into developmen­t and integrity."

The organisati­on was also unhappy that Coe had announced the move without warning to its fellow federation­s, although it had informed the Internatio­nal Olympic Committee on the day of the announceme­nt. "ASOIF was neither informed nor consulted in advance of the announceme­nt, which was made one day after the ASOIF General Assembly," it said, adding "it is important and fair to discuss the matter at stake with the other federation­s in advance". —

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