In individual events, Brazilian gold medalists receive R$160,000 per medal (Photo: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
Although the International Olympic Committee (IOC) does not distribute cash prizes to athletes, it is very common for each country’s committee to offer monetary rewards for winning medals, both at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
In Brazil, the awards of the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB) are awarded according to the color of the medal and also take into account the type of sport, whether individual or team.
In individual tests, Gold medal winners receive 160,000 Brazilian riyals for each medal; Silver gets 64 thousand Brazilian riyals and bronze will receive 32 thousand Brazilian riyals. In group, relay or pairs mods, the prize is R$80,000 per athlete for the gold medal, R$32,000 for the silver and R$16,000 for the bronze.
In the case of sports in which the athlete is accompanied by sports guides, for example, or assistants such as pilots and helmsmen, they also receive the bonus. Helpers receive 20% of the highest medal earned by the main player and 10% of each new podium, depending on the value of the next medal.
The amount distributed in Tokyo is greater than the amount awarded in Rio 2016, when medalists in individual competitions earned R$60,000 for each gold medal, R$30,000 (silver) and R$20,000 (bronze). In team sports, R$30,000 (gold medal), R$15,000 (silver) and R$10,000 (bronze) were distributed to each athlete.
The United States equalizes the awards
This year, the United States announced that athletes in the Paralympic Games for the first time will receive equal pay as Olympic athletes. Prior to this move, Paralympic medalists received $7,500 for gold, $5.2 for silver, and $3,700 for bronze. Now, they will get $37,500 for the gold, $22,500 for the silver and $15,000 for the bronze, according to information from independent.
In Brazil, the amount distributed to Paralympic athletes is higher. While the CPB distributes R$160,000 for each gold medal, for example, the Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB) has announced R$35,000 bonuses for athletes who take gold, silver or bronze in individual sports. In team sports, each athlete received 17.5 thousand Brazilian reals.
The UK does not offer prizes
Not all countries reward their athletes. In the case of the United Kingdom, for example, there is no monetary reward for an earned medal, but athletes receive annual scholarships to allow them to devote themselves entirely to training.
The UK government has already announced that it will provide 232 million pounds (about 1.6 billion Brazilian reais) to help competitors from Great Britain and Northern Ireland prepare for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The same is true for Italy, where its Paralympic Committee recently announced a €5 million incentive plan to support Paralympic sports federations.
Hong Kong rewards its players with $102,000 for a gold medal, $51,000 for a silver and $25,000 for a bronze. Fourth place receives $12,000, and from fifth to eighth place athletes receive $6,000.
In Malaysia, in addition to their monthly stipend, athletes are awarded $241,000 for a gold medal, $72,200 for a silver and $24,000 for a bronze.
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