Olympic sports bodies criticized World Athletics on Friday for promising to pay US$50,000 for each track and field gold medal won at the Paris Olympics.
Last week’s move by the track body and its president Sebastian Coe broke with tradition because the International Olympic Committee does not pay prize money, though many state governments and national Olympic bodies do.
Hopeful future Olympians compete in Winnipeg’s RBC training grounds
The backlash from Olympic sports — whose leaders are among about 100 IOC members who elect the president — likely was predicted by Coe, who has elevated the issue of how to reward athletes in the often insular world of IOC politics.
The cash promise was popular with United States athletes in various sports preparing to compete in Paris, who can earn US$37,500 from their team for gold medals, US$22,500 for silver and US$15,000 for bronze. The Paris Olympics start July 26
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