Track and field introducing prize money at Olympics

Track and field is set to become the first sport to introduce prize money at the Olympics, with World Athletics (WA) yesterday saying it would pay US $50,000 to Gold Medallists in Paris.  
The governing body of athletics said it was setting aside US $2.4m to pay the Gold Medallists across the 48 events on the track and field programme for this year’s Paris Olympics.  
Relay teams will split the US $50,000 between their members. Payments for Silver and Bronze Medallists are planned to start from the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, USA.  
The modern Olympics originated as an amateur sports event and the International Olympic Committee does not award prize money though, many medallists receive payments from their countries’ governments, national sports bodies or through sponsors.  
(Agencies)