Unlike almost every other major nation, the U.S. government does not fund its Olympic athletes, let alone their retirement accounts. Most Team USA members live below the poverty line while training, relying on side hustles or "mom and dad" to survive. Starting with the upcoming Milan Cortina Olympics, Ross Stevens, Founder and CEO of Stone Ridge Holdings Group, will give $200,000 to every U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athlete — even if they don’t win a medal.
The "Passing the Torch" report, produced by the Commission on the State of U.S. Olympics & Paralympics, highlights a significant wealth gap: nearly 60% of USOPC and governing-body executives earn over $150,000 annually. In contrast, 26.5% of current athletes earn less than $15,000 a year — a razor-thin margin considering the average athlete's competition costs are $12,000 annually.
