Overview
- The IOC approved the one‑time $10,000 payment at its 146th full session in Lausanne on Wednesday, and the decision is retroactive to the Milano/Cortina 2026 Winter Games.
- The programme is backed by a $140 million fund per Olympic cycle and is expected to cover roughly 14,000 athletes with processing of claims taking about six months, IOC president Kirsty Coventry said.
- Athletes must apply through the IOC’s Athlete365 platform and payments will be issued by National Olympic Committees, which must confirm that each recipient received the full amount.
- All accredited participants are eligible, including high‑earning professionals, and Pau Gasol said recipients may accept, donate, or decline the grant; national bodies such as Stiftung Deutsche Sporthilfe praised the move while athlete groups called it only a first step.
- The change ends decades of IOC opposition to direct athlete payouts, may ease financial pressure for many competitors, and could create extra administrative work and public scrutiny over who accepts or redistributes the money.