The Olympic Games Paris 2024 are almost here and while you’re probably , we’ve been looking at how much bank your will be bringing home this year — because we’re nosy af. Let’s break down how much our Aussie Olympians are actually earning. Spoiler: it’s not as much as you might think.
Olympic athletes in Australia don’t get a salary from the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC). Instead, they rely on a mix of grants, sponsorships, and medal bonuses. It’s a bit of a hustle to be honest, because apparently no one is safe from this economy.
The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) is coming through with some coin, offering grants up to $17,500 for athletes who might bring home some bling. Plus, some private donors, including , provide financial support to specific sports that they think will win big, most often swimming and rowing. Despite this, many athletes still struggle financially, often earning less than AUD$23,000 annually.
It’s not exactly a fortune. When Aussie athletes bring home medals from the Olympics, the rewards them with: But here’s the catch: they only get one payment, even if they win multiple medals. So, if an athlete wins several medals, they only receive the bonus for their highest achievement.
has just dropped a bombshell ahead of Paris 2024. They’re becoming the first international federation to award prize money at the Olympic Games. They’ve set aside a total prize pot of $US2.
4 million ($3.6 million) to reward gold medalists in all 4.