Since not everyone gets big endorsement contracts, this is good news to those athletes who excel at less marketable sports.

http://www.tsn.ca/olympics/news_story/?ID=223220&hubname=

"OTTAWA - For the first time, Canada's athletes will be paid for winning medals at Olympic games.

Athletes will receive up to $20,000 per medal at the Games."


$20k for Gold, $15k for Silver, $10k for Bronze.

Team sports included!

Before I get blasted by some know it all out there here me out. IMO recognizing athletes for the accomplishments is great. However does awarding an athlete for a medal make sense when in all reality funding needs to be on a broader level. Yes I am sure $20K would be nice but quite frankly a gold medalist is more than likely going to get an endoresment deal anyway so why not invest in the development of atheletes instead. I suppose if it's sole purpose is to just 'recognize' and accomplishment a few bucks is fine but why not invest heavier into amateur sports instead and send more athletes to the Olympics with as much premier training as possible. Save the tokens for later invest in the athletes development first.

I just can't see this doing anything?

I was going to kick back and get bronze but from the extra $10,000 I'll go for gold? Not likely.

A large persentage of Canadian athletes who compete at the olympics actually live below the paverty line and many have to get full time jobs to support thier famalies. This takes away from thier training. It puts our athletes at a distinct disadvantage as in compared to many other contries. Giving them this money will help them to focus on training. Who knows maybe improve that bronze to a gold in four years time. Just to let you know as well many of our top athletes who do recieve sponsership it is usully eaten up by travel expences to compete at the world level. The sponsershp money recieved after all is said and done acutually amounts to very little after all the other expences are paid out.

November 19 2007, 2:29 PM

Hey not to completely disagree with you but you have to think big picture here. I assure you $20K ain't going to make a difference from bronze to gold! It may mean a few bucks to help the cause but by throwing out a few tokens is not going to make any difference to these atheletes or the next generation of atheltes. What will make a difference is our Gov't and corporate worlds working in tandum to develop generations of atheltes... not just these meaningless awards! I personally think it's an embarrassment to even announce such an award. Yes it's recognition but to me it's more about acknowledging the fact that this is a feable attempt to saying 'we care about our ateletes!'

Great news.

You don't think that that is extra incentive for athletes to push themselves? 10 grand is 10 grand - any Olympic athlete would tell you that they could use the extra money (even if they do get endorsements - which only happens for a precious few btw)

its pretty pathetic that this is the best thing the federal government can come up with. Sure this would help any athlete but overall it doesn't help the olympic program/movement. But it seems that canadian corporations have to start ponying up. Canadian corps are note known for their philanthropy. When it comes to this they are as conservative as they come. They put it all in the bank. Yeah i know there are few that give to the olympic movement like RBC, and some of the car companies. But they dont give jack in general. Many more US companies give a ton more even if they hope that there will be something in it for them in the end (endorsement, PR move). Regardless thats why the US dishes out more olympic champions because they invest in their athletes. Yeah i know there is the argument of population but there are other countries with less population that produce more champions.

"You don't think that that is extra incentive for athletes to push themselves? 10 grand is 10 grand - any Olympic athlete would tell you that they could use the extra money (even if they do get endorsements - which only happens for a precious few btw)"

Sure a cash reward is nice... sure it may push, them but ask yourself this. Quite honestly winning $20K for someone that has been training all of their lives to be the best in the world is hardly something they are thinking about.. and really not something taht will 'push them'!
I would almost bet that any amateur athelete that has made it to this point would much rather see a serious contribution to sports than a frign' $20 grand! Is the reward really going to make a difference to the BIG PICTURE? Perhaps your interpretation of big picture is different than mine! Let's do a medal count and add up how much this really translates into!?
Come on give me a break!

Wow, a lot of you can sure find a way to turn something into nothing, or worse than nothing.

In the absence of a perfect solution, I still think athletes will appreciate this.

I am sure the athletes will appreciate this, BUT it might be better to find a way to get this money into the hands of the atheletes before the olympics. Still it is nice to see some of our elite amateur athletes get some compensation for representing our country.

For swimmers, anyhow.

http://www.tsn.ca/olympics/news_story/?ID=223435&hubname=

"Swimming Canada will pay $50,000 for a gold. A silver is worth $10,000 and a bronze worth $5,000 - although those amounts could increase, said Pierre Lafontaine, the CEO and national coach of Swimming Canada."

I wonder if other sports federations will follow suit.

Giving them this money will help them to focus on training.
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I disagree. Its not truly an incentive. IMO, I would rather see money going in to supporting the carded athletes PRIOR to the Olympic Games. Allows them to train and rest w/out having to worry about where their next buck is coming from.