IOC President Kirsty Coventry Releases New Assertion On Athlete Fee Stance

Earlier within the week, International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry, an Olympic gold medal profitable swimmer from Zimbabwe, publicly expressed her disapproval of paying Olympic athletes.

Coventry has since launched an announcement amid important public disapproval over the feedback, posting the next to the “athlete365” Instagram account:

Some of you might need seen social media posts about an interview I gave throughout my go to to New Zealand after I had a dialog with a journalist about paying prize cash to athletes. When I used to be requested about it on digicam, I didn’t repeat the phrases prize cash – my mistake, lesson learnt.

Yes, I’ve all the time mentioned that I don’t consider in paying athletes prize cash on the Olympic Games, as this may profit solely a really small variety of athletes. I do consider our function because the IOC is to search out methods to immediately help a lot of athletes on their journey to turning into Olympians, on the Olympics and as they transition into life after sport.

As a former athlete, I’m completely dedicated to discovering extra methods to immediately help athletes on their journey.

Coventry clarified that her unique feedback have been particularly about prize cash slightly than athlete cost broadly, noting she misspoke by not repeating the phrases “prize money” on digicam. However, the excellence did little to quell the backlash, as prize cash was central to the general public and Olympic athlete frustration together with her unique feedback, and a number of other Olympians made their voices heard within the feedback part of the put up.

Reigning Olympic champion and newly minted world file holder within the males’s 50m freestyle, Australia’s Cameron McEvoy, wrote, “If every athlete who competes at the Olympics is paid $10k as an appearance fee, and every gold/silver/bronze earns 100K/60K/25K (including individuals on teams) then that would be around $180m – which is only 1.5% of the quadrennial revenue ($12 billion) the IOC generates. For reference, the NBA has a 50% revenue share with the players. You can have prize money and pay all athletes to help those who aren’t the absolute top and still be extremely comfrotable with your boatloads of revenue.”

Matt Richards, the 2023 World Champion and 2024 Olympic silver medalist within the 200 free who has helped Team GB to back-to-back 4×200 free relay golds on the final two Olympic Games, additionally spoke up, writing:

“Clarifying ‘prize money’ doesn’t change the reality @officialkirstycoventry – Rule 40 already restricts athletes from monetizing their own name and likeness during the Games, and now you’re confirming there’s no plan for direct financial upside either… So the organization generates billions from athlete performances while the athletes themselves are left hoping a sponsor notices them. This statement doesn’t change the fact that the people creating all the value are the only ones not sharing in it.”

Among the Olympians to weigh in beneath the put up have been Lucca Dotto, Lisa Curry, Josha Salchow, Sally Pearson, Lewis Clareburt, and Dan Wallace, amongst others.

Separately, Coventry additionally reaffirmed the IOC’s plans to chop sports activities for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics. Coventry advised the Associated Press that “There is a path (back), it’s not just an end,” for future Olympics for the sports activities which can be finally given the axe.

For reference, Brisbane’s bid included 28 sports activities, however that bid was made after the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, which had 28 sports activities. However, the LA 2028 Games is presently slated for 36, together with 5 extra carried out by the Local Organizing Committee: softball & baseball, cricket, flag soccer, lacrosse, and squash.

Coventry’s Background

Coventry was elected because the tenth President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in March 2025, turning into the primary feminine to carry the function.

During her storied swimming profession, Coventry was a five-time Olympian, making her debut on the 2000 Games in Sydney earlier than profitable Olympic gold within the ladies’s 200 backstroke in 2004, additionally incomes silver within the 100 again and bronze within the 200 IM in Athens.

She then defended her gold medal within the 200 again on the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, including three extra silvers within the 100 again, 200 IM and 400 IM. She additionally competed on the 2012 Olympics in London and the 2016 Games in Rio earlier than asserting her retirement.

Coventry was additionally a three-time LC world champion, sweeping the 100 and 200 again in 2005 after which reclaiming the 200 again title in 2009. At the 2008 Short Course World Championships, she gained 5 medals, together with 4 gold within the 100 again, 200 again, 200 IM and 400 IM.