The decision by World Athletics to compensate only gold medallists at the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris has been welcomed and criticised by Olympian Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn who believes all medallists must receive prize money.

World Athletics says gold medallists in the 48 athletic events will receive US$50,000 (almost $8 million). Winning relay teams will also share a prize of US$50,000 among team members, making it the first time in history athletes will be compensated for winning at the event.

“I welcome the announcement that for the first time in our history Olympic athletes who are competing in the Olympic games will be given a prize money of US$50,000 to the winner. However, I really believe that they fell short on this one and not enough thought went into it,” Cuthbert-Flynn told the
Jamaica Observer in an interview.

“We always see three persons on a podium, first, second, and third, and I think if the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and World Athletics really wanted to do justice for the athletes, instead of waiting for another Olympic games, which is in 2028, I think then wait to do it for all athletes that they intend to do it for — if it’s just the top three, if it’s just the top eight, but just to say we’re going to reward the winner only I think is a slap in the face for the second person and the third person who will be standing on that podium.”

The Olympic rings installed on the Esplanade du Trocadero near the Eiffel Tower, following Paris’ nomination
as host for the 2024 Olympics, are pictured on September 14, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo: AFP

The total prize fund of US$2.4 million ($372 million) will be taken from the IOC revenue share allocations that World Athletics receives every four years. It is expected that for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, prize money will also be extended to silver and bronze medallists.

“Even though the IOC does give funding to the different federations in all the countries for the development of sports, I really believe that the top three at least should have been the ones rewarded in this first time doing this,” Cuthbert-Flynn said

She said that athletes should have long been compensated for competing in the games and that she believes this was previously done because track and field was seen as an amateur sport.

“But we have evolved, the sport has evolved. They do make money from the sport and yes, I said while they believe they give back money to federations, how much is that trickling down for the development of sports in the country?” she questioned.

“There are some athletes who may stand on that podium who may not have a shoe contract. Maybe its rarer now but the US$50,000 will come in handy for quite a number of athletes. It will be a bonus to them because the shoe company already awards some athletes, so I mean it’s a good thing but I think they should have gone further.”

CUTHBERT-FLYNN… to say we’re going to reward the winner only, I think, is a slap in the face for the second person and the third person who will be standing on that podium

Cuthbert-Flynn is the state minister in the Ministry of National Security and a former 100m and 200m track athlete. She competed for Jamaica in 100m and 200m at the 1992 Olympic Games, taking the silver medal in both events.

Shortly after the announcement that athletes would be compensated in the upcoming Olympic Games, retired sprinter, eight-time Olympic medallists and world record holder Usain Bolt responded in a tweet on social media platform X.

“Any retroactive payment,” he replied to a tweet from the World Athletics making the announcement, adding the wink emoji.

When asked if she believed that past Olympic medallists should receive any compensation from World Athletics, Cuthberth-Flynn disagreed with the statement.

“How do you compensate former athletes,” she asked. “That would be impossible to compensate former athletes. How far are you going to go back? You go back to which Olympic Games? I think if your gonna start something, you start it and that’s where it starts. I’m not for going back any further for giving any athletes to compensate anyone who competed in an Olympic Games years gone by.”

The Olympic Games is said to have dated back to 776 BC. The IOC says they were held every four years in honour of the god Zeus.

In 1894, Pierre de Coubertin launched his plan to revive the Olympic Games, and in 1896 the first Games of the modern era were held in Athens, Greece.

Olympic Games legend Usain Bolt tweeted, seemingly in jest, questioning whether retroactive payments will be given to past medallists of the Games, in light of World Athletics’ announcement that winners of athletics events at the Paris Olympics this summer will be rewarded with US$50,000 (almost $8 million).