In an historical first, the International Olympic Committee has announced financial compensation for Olympians with the “Fit for the Future Olympian Grant.”
In good news for Australia’s Milano-Cortina Winter Olympians, the $140m grant means every athlete at an Olympic Games from 2026 onwards is eligible for a USD$10,000 (AUD$14,500) payment.
The “Fit for the Future” strategic framework has been set up to find new and complementary ways to provide support to athletes with their long-term sporting endeavours or career transition.
About 14,000 Olympians per Olympiad are expected to be eligible for a grant of USD 10,000 for each edition of the Olympic Games in which they compete. The grant will be delivered through existing National Olympic Committee (NOC) structures. If an Olympian chooses not to apply for this grant, their allocation will remain in the fund to benefit future Olympians.
The grant will not decrease or detract from already existing support provided by the IOC to the NOCs, International Sports Federations (IFs), Organising Committees for the Olympic Games (OCOGs) or Olympic Solidarity.
The grant will be available to every Olympian, not just medal winners.
“While every athlete’s journey is different, every Olympian has made sacrifices to reach the Olympic stage. Years of dedication. Years of hard work. Years of believing in a dream. This is not prize money,” said Chair of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Commission (AC), Pau Gasol, during the 146th IOC Session in Lausanne, Switzerland.
“This is about recognising the journey and the commitment it takes to become an Olympian. And it is about recognising that every Olympian is part of our Olympic community, and honouring those who have come before us and paved the way, so that current and future generations of Olympians can benefit.”
The following Olympians will be eligible for the grant:
- All athletes who have participated in the Olympic Games with an Aa accreditation, starting from Milano Cortina 2026.
- The grant is only for Olympians. Participants at the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) are not eligible.
- All Olympians are eligible, provided that they have not committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation, or violated the IOC Code of Ethics, the Conditions of Participation, or the Olympic Charter.
The IOC will now work on the application and delivery mechanism for the grant with the aim of opening the application process for Milano Cortina 2026 at the end of this year, with the first payments being made in 2027.
