In a huge win for equality in sports, Australian Paralympians will now receive the same medal bonuses as their Olympic counterparts.
Minister for Sport Anika Wells made this exciting announcement on Monday, just in time for the Paris 2024 Paralympics Opening Ceremony on August 28.
“The Albanese Government is thrilled to provide the nation’s Paralympians with the same financial incentives for winning medals at the Paris Games as our Olympic medallists – and I know all Australians will be too,” she said.
How much do Paralympians get paid in Australia?
So, what does this mean in terms of cash? Well, the medal bonuses for Australian Olympians are pretty generous: gold medallists pocket $20,000, silver medallists score $15,000, and bronze medallists take home $10,000.
Now, Paralympians will enjoy the same financial reward — a huge step forward in recognising their hard work and commitment.
Alison Creagh, President of Paralympics Australia, shared her thoughts, emphasising how important government support is. She said,“Knowing that their achievements are valued equally to their Olympic colleagues will give our athletes more confidence and motivation to compete at their best.
“Many of our Paralympians face significant financial strain as they pursue success on the world stage. This support rewards their success and acknowledges the broader challenges they face.”
Para-athetes have had a long fight for equality
This isn’t just a recent development it’s been a long and hard-fought battle for Paralympians to achieve equal medal bonuses. They’ve campaigned for several years to close this gap, especially with the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics bringing the issue into the spotlight.
Public support has played a crucial role in this fight, as many Australians rallied behind the cause, advocating for equal recognition of para-athletes.
Most notably, Olympic Rugby Seven champ Chloe Dalton kick started a GoFundMe to raise awareness and dosh to fund cash bonuses in the community.
Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison stepped in, announcing funding to ensure Paralympians would receive medal bonuses. He said he wanted to share “Australia’s joy and pride” in its para-athletes when he revealed the news.
Aussie Paralympians are set to take out a shit tonne of medals this year
At the Tokyo 2020 Games, our paralympians brought home an impressive 60 medals, including 13 golds. This year we’ve got 160 athletes repping Australia in 17 events. This includes para-cyclist Alistair Donohoe who is a five-time track world champion and has won a whopping four Paralympic medals, with his eyes on gold in Paris. Para-athletics star Madison de Rozario will be taking on her third Paralympics as a flag bearer.
Madison was thrilled with the announcement of equal bonuses, excited that it reinforces their value in the sporting community.
“This support tells us as Paralympians that we are valued. It also tells the public that athletes with a disability are equal with non-disabled athletes,” she said.
You can go full stan over the list of athletes to look out for here.
The Paris 2024 Paralympics kicks off with opening ceremony on August 28 (August 29th in Australia) and will be available to watch on Stan Sport, Channel 9 on 9Now.
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