パリ五輪金メダリストに賞金 陸上、国際競技団体で史上初

【パリＡＦＰ＝時事】ワールドアスレティックス（世界陸連）は１０日、今夏のパリ五輪で全４８種目の金メダリストに賞金５万ドル（約７６４万円）を贈ると発表した。国際競技団体が五輪で賞金を出すのは初めて。リレー種目の場合はチーム内で５万ドルを分配する。（写真は、東京五輪の陸上男子棒高跳びで金メダルを獲得したスウェーデンのアルマンド・デュプランティス〈資料写真〉）
　賞金総額は２４０万ドル（約３億７０００万円）で、国際オリンピック委員会（ＩＯＣ）から４年ごとに受け取る分配金から捻出する。２０２８年のロサンゼルス五輪からは銀、銅メダルの選手にも賞金を授与する。
　世界陸連のセバスチャン・コー会長は「世界陸連と陸上界全体にとって大きな瞬間だ」とコメントし、テレビ中継で「数十億人もの視線を集める」選手たちの努力を考慮した決定だと説明。「選手が五輪全体の成功のために行う努力をたたえるというＩＯＣのコンセプトと何ら矛盾するものではないと考えている」と述べた。
　世界陸連が賞金授与の決定をＩＯＣに伝えたのは発表直前で、事前の話し合いはなかったというが、「これは（陸上）競技の問題。ＩＯＣは一貫して各国際連盟が自分たちの未来を切り開くことを認めている」と述べ、あらかじめ通知しておくべきだったのではないかという考えを否定した。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2024/04/11-20:06）

World Athletics announced on Wednesday it will become the first international federation to award prize money at an Olympics, beginning at this year's Games in Paris.
Gold medal winners in each of the 48 athletics events in Paris will receive $50,000 (46,000 euros).
While athletes are often paid by sponsors and the Olympic tradition of amateur competition has long since been consigned to history, the decision by track and field's international body to pay prize money represents a major shift for the Games.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe told reporters the decision reflected the efforts of track and field athletes which attract billions of eyeballs to the TV coverage of the Olympics.
I don't believe this is remotely at variance with the concept that the International Olympic Committee often talks about, which is recognising the efforts that our competitors make for the overall success of the Games, Coe said.
He said World Athletics had only informed the IOC of the prize money decision on Wednesday, shortly before the announcement, and there had been no discussion beforehand.
Asked if he felt the IOC should have been given more notice, Coe said: It's a matter for the sport. The one thing the IOC has consistently recognised is the primacy of international federations to fashion their own futures.
The total prize fund of $2.4 million will come from the IOC's revenue share allocation that World Athletics receives every four years.
- 'Different planet' -
Each individual Olympic champion will receive $50,000 and relay teams will receive the same amount, to be shared among team members.
Prize money will be extended to the winners of silver and bronze medals from the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
The introduction of prize money for Olympic gold medallists is a pivotal moment for World Athletics and the sport of athletics as a whole, underscoring our commitment to empowering the athletes and recognising the critical role they play in the success of any Olympic Games, Coe added.
We are now in a position to also fund gold medal performances for athletes in Paris, with a commitment to reward all three medallists at the LA28 Olympic Games.
The sport of athletics began paying prize money to gold medallists at the 1997 world championships. Winners at last year's championships in Budapest received $70,000.
Coe said the shift to rewarding athletes financially for Olympic titles reflected that the world had changed since the Briton won 1500m gold medals at the 1980 and 1984 Olympics.
Does this undermine the amateur ethic? Well, I'm probably the last generation to have been on the 75p meal voucher and a second-class rail ticket when competing for my own country, Coe said.
We're now operating in a completely different planet from when I was competing, so it is very important that the sport recognises that change in landscape.
Karsten Warholm, the reigning Olympic men's 400m hurdles champion, told AFP the paying of prize money was a smart move.
To be honest, anything offered in terms of a prize is good for the athletes, it's motivation, the Norwegian said.
These athletes work really hard and sacrifice and this sort of prize is very important.
But Jonathan Edwards, the Briton who still holds the men's triple jump world record he set in 1995, said the decision was a little bit odd.
It?s not (World Athletics') event, it's the Olympics. It feels like a bit of an undercut to the IOC, who have been very strict around saying 'we?re not going to have prize money'. Athletes who win at the Olympic Games already get rewards.
Tony Estanguet, the chief organiser of the Paris Olympics and a triple Olympic gold medallist in canoeing, said he was not opposed to prize money: I remember as an athlete, my only dream was to win an Olympic medal... It's not for the money.
You win when you earn this kind of medal. (Money) is not your first motivation. But it's also important to make sure that the athletes will also earn some money.