For the first time in Olympic history, every athlete who competes at the Olympic Games will receive a direct financial payment from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). At its 146th IOC Session in Lausanne, Switzerland, the IOC announced the new “Fit for the Future Olympian Grant,”a $10,000 payment available to every athlete who competed at the Olympic Games. The initiative is backed by a $140 million fund for each four-year Olympic cycle and will first benefit athletes who competed at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
The grant is not prize money, so is not just limited to podium winners. Instead, the IOC says it is designed to support athletes in continuing their sporting careers or transitioning into life after competition. “This grant will be available to every Olympian. Not just medal winners. Not just athletes from certain countries. Every Olympian,” IOC Athletes’ Commission Chair Pau Gasol said during the announcement. “This is not prize money. This is about recognizing the journey and the commitment it takes to become an Olympian.”
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IOC President Kirsty Coventry called the initiative one of the organization’s biggest athlete-focused commitments. “We found a way to directly support all Olympians, and that is a priority,” Coventry said. “Part of what we do in this movement is pave the way forward for those coming behind us.”
Every athlete who competed at Milano Cortina 2026 is eligible — including every member of the U.S. ski and snowboard team. That means Olympians such as Mikaela Shiffrin, Lindsey Vonn, Paula Moltzan, Ryan Cochran-Siegle, Jessie Diggins, Chloe Kim, Alex Hall, Alex Ferreira, Jaelin Kauf, Chris Lillis, Red Gerard, and dozens of other American skiers and snowboarders will all be eligible for the same payment regardless of where they finished.
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Eligibility extends to every athlete who held Aa accreditation, which is the IOC designation for competitors who actually participated in Olympic events. Coaches, alternates, team staff, and training partners are not eligible. Athletes who committed anti-doping violations or serious breaches of the Olympic Charter or IOC Code of Ethics may lose eligibility.
Applications for Milano Cortina 2026 athletes are expected to open through National Olympic Committees at the end of 2026, with the first payments scheduled for 2027.
Unlike performance bonuses offered by some National Olympic Committees, every eligible Olympian receives exactly the same amount. An athlete finishing first receives the same payment as an athlete finishing last. The IOC says the grant recognizes the years of sacrifice required simply to reach the Olympic Games rather than rewarding results.
With roughly 2,900 athletes competing at Milano Cortina 2026, the first round of payments represents an investment of approximately USD $29 million. Across an entire Olympic cycle, including both the Winter and Summer Games, the IOC expects around 14,000 athletes to receive the grant.
If an athlete decides not to apply, their allocation remains within the fund for future Olympians.
The announcement received immediate praise from the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC), which recently unveiled its own athlete-support initiatives. AOC President Ian Chesterman called the payments an important step for athlete welfare. “There are a combined group of around 14,000 athletes who make up the Summer and Winter Games every four years. To be able to support the whole system is fantastic news and I congratulate the IOC on this financial contribution to athletes globally.”
Australian Olympic Team Chef de Mission for Los Angeles 2028 Anna Meares said the announcement appropriately puts athletes at the center of Olympic funding decisions. “The announcement from the IOC today will be a welcome one for athletes globally. It recognises Olympians are the heart of the Olympic Games… This will impact thousands going forward and positively change lives beyond the podium.”
Milano Cortina 2026 Australian Winter Olympic Chef de Mission Alisa Camplin added: “The journey to achieving an Olympic dream and represent one’s country at the highest level in international sport takes enormous perseverance, courage and sacrifice… it’s fantastic that through increased financial support from the IOC, that noble pursuit of the Olympic dream remains viable for more young athletes across the world.”
The announcement complements Australia’s recently announced AUD 50 million Olympian Futures Fund, which provides retirement grants, childbirth support for female Olympians returning to competition, Olympic selection grants, and expanded performance incentives.
While the IOC’s announcement represents a historic first for Olympic athletes, Paralympians are not included. The fund applies only to athletes competing under the IOC. The Paralympic Games are governed separately by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), meaning Paralympians are currently ineligible for the new grants. That distinction has already generated discussion within the Olympic community, particularly given the increasing emphasis on equality between the Olympic and Paralympic movements.
For stars like Mikaela Shiffrin or Chloe Kim, $10,000 is unlikely to change their careers. For many other Olympians, however — particularly athletes competing in less commercially supported disciplines such as ski mountaineering, Nordic combined, cross-country skiing, moguls, aerials, or alpine athletes from smaller national programs — it represents meaningful financial support after years of self-funded training, travel, and competition.
The IOC has long resisted direct athlete payments, arguing that its investment should flow through National Olympic Committees and International Federations. This new grant marks a significant philosophical shift. Rather than rewarding medals, the IOC is now recognizing something broader: simply becoming an Olympian.
