The IOC will pay Olympic athletes for the first time. Is it enough?

The International Olympic Committee’s announcement of a $US10,000 ($14,500) payment to every athlete who competes at an Olympic Games is a significant development, marking a departure from more than a century of history in which participation was considered reward enough.

But Australian athletes were not exactly dancing in the streets after details of the ‘Fit for the Future Olympian Grant’ were unveiled at an IOC meeting in Switzerland were revealed on Thursday.

“$6.80 per day for a four-year cycle. And that’s pre-tax,” one prominent Olympic gold medallist, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told this masthead. “But it’s a start, which is a win for the next generation.”

Another Olympic champion said: “It’s a big step forward from not believing athletes should get paid. But in this modern era, there is still a long way to go.”

Still, something is better than nothing, as Australia’s most decorated Olympian, Emma McKeon, acknowledged on social media on Thursday.

“Moving in the right direction,” McKeon wrote, accompanied by a clapping emoji.

IOC president Kirsty Coventry made the announcement after a month of fierce backlash to her  comments that she did not “believe in paying athletes” – remarks she later said were in reference to prizemoney, rather than overall athlete support.

Speaking at the IOC extraordinary session in Lausanne on Wednesday, Coventry said the financial sweetener for athletes – who since the inaugural modern Olympics in Athens in 1896 have effectively competed for little more than pride, patriotism and achievement – had been in the pipeline for some time.

“The backlash was a little frustrating,” Coventry said. “It is not something that just happened over the last few weeks.”

With that being the case, it is difficult to understand why Coventry did not at least hint that relief was on the way. Her remarks left athletes infuriated.

Money going directly into the bank accounts of Olympians is something many thought would not happen on the IOC’s watch.

NBA, tennis and soccer stars earning millions of dollars a year will receive the same “thanks-for-coming” payment as athletes in smaller sports from impoverished countries. However, some of the wealthier athletes may opt to leave their cash in the pot.

It is certainly an egalitarian policy, consistent with the values of the Olympic movement.

But it also edges the Games a little closer towards genuine prizemoney and rewarding those athletes who prove themselves the best in the world at their discipline – which is what Australian swimmers Cam McEvoy and Kyle Chalmers have been arguing for since Coventry sparked controversy with her comments.

In an Instagram post that went viral three weeks ago, McEvoy proposed a $10,000 appearance fee, plus $100,000, $60,000 and $25,000 rewards for gold, silver and bronze medals.

“It would be around $180 million, which is only 1.5 per cent of the quadrennial revenue ($12 billion) the IOC generates,” McEvoy wrote.

The new payment will be made to athletes via existing National Olympic Committee structures. Naturally, the sum will stretch much further in some parts of the world than others.

Almost 2900 athletes who competed at this year’s Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina will receive the bonus, whether they came first or last, while approximately 11,000 athletes will be in line for a payday after the LA Olympics in two years’ time.

However, Australia’s Olympic athletes already receive funding through other avenues. The Australian Sports Commission distributes hefty government grants, while the Australian Olympic Committee last year announced an Olympian Futures Fund worth $50 million, including a retirement grant of $32,000 for athletes.

Australia’s Olympians also now receive $5000 for each Olympics they attend.

There is also the AOC’s athlete incentive funding program, which offers performance-based support during Olympic and non-Olympic years. Athletes who finish first, second or third at world championship-equivalent events can receive $20,000, $15,000 and $10,000 respectively, with $5000 also available for fourth place in non-Olympic years.

According to the AOC, $2.5 million was paid to Australian Olympians between the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, with a further $800,000 distributed in the current Olympic cycle (2026-28).

“The announcement from the IOC today will be a welcome one for athletes globally,” said Anna Meares, Australia’s chef de mission for LA2028. “It recognises Olympians are the heart of the Olympic Games and at the forefront of decisions, that will make them not only feel valued but acknowledged for their efforts and contribution. This will impact thousands going forward and positively change lives beyond the podium.”

Prize money is already distributed in some instances by certain sports. Australian pole vaulter Nina Kennedy received a cheque of $US50,000 ($72,500) from World Athletics for winning gold at the Paris Olympics. World Athletics has now committed to rewarding silver and bronze medallists at LA2028.

The initiative was spearheaded by World Athletics president Sebastian Coe, who lost out to Coventry in the IOC elections last year. He praised the latest news from the IOC, saying on Wednesday: “This is a historic moment for the movement, and I’m absolutely delighted to be in the room when this has been announced.”

The reality is that most Olympians do not train and compete for the money. Their push for greater financial incentives, however, should not be misconstrued as greed.

“It’s always an honour and privilege to represent the green and gold,” Olympic gold medallist Zac Stubblety-Cook said at a Speedo event earlier this month.

“I think we can look a bit bratty about wanting more, and I think that’s probably the conversation people need to realise: we ask more, but we bloody work hard for it.”

Teammate Sam Short agrees, saying: “I think if you’re an Olympic champion, you should be paid. I’m doing it because I want to be Olympic champion but at the end of day, you’ve got to earn a living. Winning a gold medal should have some kind of monetary prizemoney.”

News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport are sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.