For the first time, every Olympian will be eligible for a $10,000 grant — the “Fit for the Future Olympian Grant” — starting with the Milan Cortina Games.
The IOC program includes a total fund of $140,000,000 with about 14,000 Olympians expected to be eligible per four-year cycle.
“It has been a topic of conversation for many years, and I am extremely proud that we are now able to do this,” IOC President Kirsty Coventry said in a press release.
The grant was announced by Pau Gasol, chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission, at an IOC session on Wednesday.
“Let it be clear, this is not prize money,” said Gasol, a five-time Olympian for Spain. “This is about recognizing the journey and the commitment that it takes to become an Olympian. It is about honoring that every Olympian is part of our Olympic community. Those who have come before and paved the way so that current and future generations of Olympians can benefit. I know this initiative will make a real difference in the life of many Olympians around the world.”
All Olympians are eligible if they have not committed an anti-doping rule violation or violated the IOC’s code of ethics, conditions of participation or the Olympic Charter.
The application process for Milan Cortina Olympians is aimed to open at the end of this year with the first payments made in 2027.
“One message we have consistently heard, not only during Fit for the Future, but long before that, is that athletes want more direct support throughout the Olympic journey and beyond,” Gasol said. “Today, we are taking a very important step in that direction.”
