3 weeks ago
Image source, Getty Images
Sir Steve Redgrave (second left) is nan fourth-most dressed up British Olympian
Five-time Olympic champion Sir Steve Redgrave has warned that paying prize money to athletics golden medallists astatine Paris 2024 will create "an america and them situation" betwixt sports.
World Athletics announced successful April it would connection prize money astatine this summer’s Games - nan first athletics successful Olympic history to do so.
The winners successful nan 48 disciplines will each person 50,000 US dollars (£39,400).
Prize money will beryllium paid to each 3 way and section medallists astatine nan 2028 Games successful Los Angeles.
Redgrave, who won rowing golden medals astatine 5 successive Olympic games betwixt 1984 and 2000, said: "All those golden medallists successful athletics are tin of earning important money earlier and surely aft Paris truthful you’re giving money to group who already person it.
"It becomes an america and them situation. I did OK – though I made much money from status than I ever did successful rowing – but I’m against it."
Redgrave added he would for illustration if "that money" was distributed "to different sports".
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) does not grant prize money but distributes backing done world federations (IF) and nationalist Olympic committees (NOC).
Some nationalist Olympic committees connection financial rewards to their medallists, though nan British Olympic Association does not.
Rowing 'fighting for survival'
Redgrave besides warned that rowing "only survives internationally because of nan money nan world federation gets from competing astatine nan Olympics".
He added: "If that’s ever taken distant our athletics will die."
Rowing has featured astatine each Games since 1900, pinch women’s events introduced astatine nan 1976 Olympics successful Montreal.
It was group to look successful nan inaugural Games successful Athens successful 1896, though mediocre upwind forced nan rowing events to beryllium cancelled.
"You tin reason whether we are applicable successful today’s world, but we are a laminitis athletics of nan Olympics and I deliberation we are [relevant]," added Redgrave.
"But location is statement complete that if you are conscionable going to support nan media-friendly sports."
