Olympic sports bodies have reportedly condemned the World Athletics on Friday for the purpose of promoting to pay US$50,000 for every track and field gold medal which was received at the Paris Olympics.
Last week’s move by the track body and the President Sebastian Coe, broke the tradition as the International Olympic Committee is not willing to pay the prize money, although many state governments and national Olympic bodies do offer it.
“For many, this move undermines the values of Olympism and the uniqueness of the games,” said the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations which goes by the name ASOIF.
It is also said that the IOC presidential contest the coming year when Thomas Bach’s 12 year limit expires. However, his supporters expect that the Olympic Charter reformed to help him stay while Coe turns 68 this year and might be older than the age limit which is set.
An old lawmaker in the British parliament, Coe claimed that the money acknowledged that “athletes are the stars of the show.”
“There has been consensus that Olympic revenues should, at least for the more commercially successful and financially independent IFs, be invested as a priority into development and integrity matters,” said ASOIF which is based in Olympic home city, Lausanne, Switzerland.
The timing of Coe’s pledge also shocked a lot of people as it was right after the ASOIF annual meeting which was held in Birmingham, England and he is also a member of its ruling council.
“During the last days, ASOIF’s membership has expressed several concerns about World Athletics’ announcement,” the group said.