Head of the British Olympic Association criticizes decision to give cash prizes to athletics gold medalists | UK News

Athletics chiefs’ decision to pay Olympic gold medalists was inappropriate and created problems with other sports, the GB boss told Sky News.

Last week’s announcement by World Athletics president Lord Sebastian Coe came as a surprise because the sports have never awarded prize money in the 128-year history of the Olympics.

Athletics gold medalists will win $50,000 (around £39,400) in Paris this summer, before silver and bronze winners are also paid at Los Angeles 2028.

The decision surprised the British Olympic Association, chaired by Lord Coe until 2016.

“What wasn’t great about last week’s announcement is when a sport goes out and does something on its own, it doesn’t include the sports, it doesn’t include the IOC, it doesn’t include the National Olympic Committees,” the BOA chief said. executive Andy Anson told Sky News.

“They create a problem because now other sports are clearly going to receive some scrutiny or even pressure from athletes who say, ‘Well, what about us? How can this sport do this and not others?’.

“I don’t think it’s particularly appropriate or helpful for a sport to just announce that.”

The International Olympic Committee was only informed by World Athletics shortly before last Wednesday’s announcement and was not consulted by Lord Coe.

See more information:
US$50,000 for a gold medal – athletics becomes the first sport to offer cash prizes to Olympic athletes

Anson warned of the risks of creating a divide between sports and said it “seems even worse” that athletics would only initially pay Olympic champions.

“We have to look at this holistically and make sure we don’t create a two-tier system,” he said.

Team GB are aiming to finish in the top five in the medal table, having been in the top four at every Summer Olympic Games since 2008.

Mr Anson said: “I know there are all these political issues out there.

“But we must not lose sight of the fact that in 100 days we will have the most exciting Olympic Games taking place on our doorstep, in the most beautiful city, in the most beautiful locations, with hundreds of thousands of Team GB fans. crossing the English Channel to support our team.

“And I want everyone to feel the excitement because in this building we are ready to go. We are prepared.”

Anson was speaking in an interview to mark 100 days – today – until the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games, which is taking place in unprecedented fashion along the River Seine.

But French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged for the first time this week that the spectacle could be restored to the stadium’s traditional setting if the security threat is deemed too great.

“I’m clearly concerned,” Anson said. “It’s one of the most important things we have to manage from a risk standpoint.

“We would be naive not to think about this. Our number one priority is to keep all of our athletes, our wider entourage and our fans safe.”

He said the opening ceremony “is a high-risk environment and it must be managed accordingly, but the French are very, very aware of that.”

The risks are increased by conflicts in the Middle East and Russia’s war in Ukraine.

But the UK government has ended its opposition to athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus, even as they compete as neutrals in Paris.

Anson said: “The restrictions in terms of no military personnel, no one publicly supporting the conflict… means that we are getting adequate neutrality. And I think now is the time to move forward in that debate.”

See more information:
World Athletics criticized for decision to exclude trans women from women’s events
British rowing bans transgender athletes from female category to ensure ‘fair competition’

Another debate in sport is over transgender eligibility policies and Mr Anson leans towards the government’s view that only those born female should compete in women’s sports.

“We have to protect the women’s category and ensure it is sacrosanct – and that women are competing fairly on a fair stage,” he said.

“We know that, in a broader context, we also have to be supportive and embrace diversity and ensure that people feel included and not victimized in any way.”

Team GB does not expect any trans athletes to qualify for Paris.

“The generally accepted position seems to be: If you went through puberty as a man, you have an inherent advantage for the rest of your life,” Anson said.

See more information:
Sprinter CJ Ujah named in Team GB relay squad for first time since drug ban
Caster Semenya wins human rights court appeal over testosterone rules in athletics

A challenging issue for Team GB is the potential return to the Olympics of sprinter CJ Ujah following a 22-month drug ban.

Team GB was stripped of silver in 4X100 relay at Tokyo Olympics after him tested positive for traces of ostarineused to treat muscle loss, and S-23, which promotes muscle growth.

The 30-year-old was selected in the British relay team for the World Athletics Relay in the Bahamas in May, paving the way back to the Olympics.

“He let everyone down with what he did in Tokyo, without a doubt,” Anson said.

“So he now needs to go a step further than everyone else to prove that he is beyond that, that he is actually helping other people solve the problems that he created.

But Team GB cannot punish an athlete twice for the same infraction.

“We have to accept that if he is appointed he will be part of the team,” Anson said. “But we will make sure to impress upon him that he needs to help others avoid the traps he has created for himself and others in Tokyo.”