Olympic Sports Bodies Criticize World Athletics Prize Money

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe listens to a journalist's question during a press conference at the conclusion of the World Athletics meeting at the Italian National Olympic Committee,

In a surprising move, World Athletics and its president Sebastian Coe announced a plan to pay $50,000 for each track and field gold medal won at the upcoming Paris Olympics. This decision has sparked criticism from various Olympic sports bodies, including the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF).

ASOIF expressed concerns that this move by World Athletics undermines the values of Olympism and the uniqueness of the games. The organization emphasized that the Olympic Games have traditionally not offered prize money for medals, with many athletes benefiting from commercial endorsements instead.