Many countries pay competitors six-figure bonuses for bringing home the gold. Check out what Olympians from all the over the world get for winning a medal.
Kazakhstan pays gold winners $250,000.
Estonia, a former communist country, also rewards athletes handsomely. A gold medal is worth $138,500, a silver medal will earn an Olympian $96,400 and a bronze totals to $60,000.
Italy is another country that pays their Olympians big bucks for winning a medal. A gold medal is worth $189,800.
Russia, this year’s Winter Olympics host country, treats athletes well. Not only will a gold medal earn an athlete $113,200, but also regional and private bonuses triple that value, according to Russian Olympic Committee head Alexander Zhukov.
The United States Olympic Committee pays gold medal athletes $25,000. That number hasn’t changed in a decade and with inflation that bonus value has actually dropped by more than $5,000.
Great Britain doesn’t pay Olympians. “We believe that the drive, dedication and commitment required of Team GB athletes is motivated, first and foremost, by the desire to represent their country to the very best of their ability on the greatest sporting stage in the world,†the British team told Bloomberg.
Latvia pays gold medal athletes $192,800.
Malaysia, who is not competing in Sochi, awards the largest prize to top ranking athletes: a solid gold bar from a gold mine owner in Kuala Lumpur worth $600,000. Unfortunately, no Malaysian has won a gold medal since 1956.
Switzerland pays athletes who bring home the gold $88,600.
A gold medal in Canada is worth $17,900.
