The President of the International Cycling Federation (UCI), David Lappartient, has criticized the decision of the World Athletics Federation to reward Olympic gold in Paris with 50,000 dollars (around 46,000 euros). “I really think this is not in keeping with the Olympic spirit,” he said on Tuesday on the sidelines of the torchlight ceremony for the Paris Games.
Last week it was announced that for the first time in Paris all Olympic champions in athletics will receive prize money, with bonuses for silver and bronze to follow in 2028. “The proposal was not discussed, it was simply announced. We shouldn’t concentrate all the money on the top athletes, but rather distribute it. If we concentrate money on the elite athletes, many opportunities for athletes around the world will disappear,” said Lappartient.
