ASOIF Expresses Concern Over World Athletics’ Decision to Introduce Prize Money for Olympic Gold Medallists

The decision by World Athletics to introduce prize money for Olympic gold medallists has sparked controversy within the sports community, with the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) expressing its concern over the move.

In a statement released on Friday, ASOIF revealed that they were not consulted or informed in advance of the announcement by World Athletics President Sebastian Coe. The ASOIF General Assembly had taken place just one day prior to the announcement, during SportAccord, making the lack of communication even more surprising.

The ASOIF emphasized the importance of discussing decisions that directly impact the collective interests of Summer Olympic International Federations in advance. They stated that the introduction of prize money for Olympic champions undermines the values of Olympism and the uniqueness of the Games. Additionally, they raised concerns about the feasibility and implications of implementing such a system across all sports.

While the world’s leading athletes have welcomed the news of prize money for Olympic gold medallists, ASOIF believes that the initiative raises more questions than it answers. They argue that prize money should be comparable to that awarded in top competitions in each sport, but acknowledge the challenges of achieving this on a technical and financial level.

ASOIF plans to address their concerns with World Athletics and continue the discussion on the implications of introducing prize money for Olympic champions. The controversy surrounding this decision is likely to continue as the sports world grapples with the implications of monetizing Olympic success.