It’s pay for performance time for Canada’s would be Olympic athletes.
An announcement out of Ottawa today provided details that those that are higher, stronger and faster, will be richer. Next year’s Olympic games in Beijing will be a cash machine for successful Canadian Olympians, as they pick up $20,000 for a gold medal, with $15,000 going to a silver medalist and $10,000 to a bronze winner.
The decision to reward excellence brings to an end a two decade debate over the issue, which saw Canadian Olympic officials go back and forth over the issue, trying to decide if the cash reward would boost Canada’s medal count on the world’s stage.
And while it’s a nice bump up from the traditional thanks from a grateful nation and maybe a free Roots hat or two, Canada is still far off the pace of rewards when it comes to the Olympics.
Norway gives land, Korea a pension and America tops up the bank account with $25,000 for a gold (ironically it probably now works out to the same as Canada now with the exchange rate!) but none come close to the Middle East countries which offer up to a million dollars should one of their citizens come home with a gold medal.
Still, 20,000 for gold is a dandy reward and may help to get Canadians up off the couch perhaps. With less than a year to go until the Opening day of Beijing, you have precious little time to get into shape and make your stake for more than a gold medal.
Now wherever did I leave my running shorts…?
An announcement out of Ottawa today provided details that those that are higher, stronger and faster, will be richer. Next year’s Olympic games in Beijing will be a cash machine for successful Canadian Olympians, as they pick up $20,000 for a gold medal, with $15,000 going to a silver medalist and $10,000 to a bronze winner.
The decision to reward excellence brings to an end a two decade debate over the issue, which saw Canadian Olympic officials go back and forth over the issue, trying to decide if the cash reward would boost Canada’s medal count on the world’s stage.
And while it’s a nice bump up from the traditional thanks from a grateful nation and maybe a free Roots hat or two, Canada is still far off the pace of rewards when it comes to the Olympics.
Norway gives land, Korea a pension and America tops up the bank account with $25,000 for a gold (ironically it probably now works out to the same as Canada now with the exchange rate!) but none come close to the Middle East countries which offer up to a million dollars should one of their citizens come home with a gold medal.
Still, 20,000 for gold is a dandy reward and may help to get Canadians up off the couch perhaps. With less than a year to go until the Opening day of Beijing, you have precious little time to get into shape and make your stake for more than a gold medal.
Now wherever did I leave my running shorts…?
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