Although the International Olympic Committee will not pay prize money to the winners of Paris 2024, many nations and territories are offering their athletes incentives to come home with gold, silver or bronze.
Many of these are financial in nature, but the rewards can be more varied – ranging from exemption from military service to cars, cows, apartments and even free food deliveries.
Here AFP Sport takes a look at some of the gold, silver and bronze offerings around the world:
South Korea
An Olympic medal, regardless of color, exempts athletes from the 18-month military service that all able-bodied men must complete up to the age of 28.
The same goes for a gold medal at the Asian Games that star footballer Son Heung-min won in Jakarta in 2018 to avoid serving time in combat.
The country’s six archers at the Tokyo Olympics, who won four of five gold medals, all received cars from Hyundai, the team’s sponsor.
Poland
Gold medalists in individual competitions receive prize money of 250,000 zloty ($63,000), a two-room apartment, a diamond, a painting and a vacation voucher.
The winners of the silver and bronze medals will also be generously rewarded with cash and other gifts.
Indonesia
Apriyani Rahayu and Greysia Polii, who won gold in the women’s doubles badminton event in Tokyo three years ago, were reportedly promised rewards ranging from a property developer’s new house to a social media influencer’s meatball restaurants.
According to the state news agency Antara, Apriyani was also promised five cows, a piece of land and a house by the district head of her hometown in Southeast Sulawesi.
According to another report, the state-owned company PT Pegadaian promised the couple three kilograms of gold.
Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno said they could enjoy free holidays in the country’s five main tourism destinations.
Jordan
When athlete Ahmad Abu Ghaush won the country’s first gold medal in Rio – in the men’s 68 kg category in taekwondo – the National Olympic Committee awarded him 100,000 dinars ($140,000) and his coach about half that.
Abu Ghaush also received numerous other awards and gifts from local companies, including a car and a luxury watch, and King Abdullah II awarded him the Order of Honor First Class.
The Philippines
Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz was rewarded with two properties and a promotion to staff sergeant in the Armed Forces of the Philippines for winning the country’s first gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
Abraham Tolentino, president of the Philippine Olympic Committee, told AFP that he had previously provided houses and land to the medal winners at his own expense.
Iraq
According to official figures, each Iraqi football player received more than nine million dinars ($7,200) and a piece of land for qualifying for the Olympic Games.
Weightlifter Ali Ammar Yasser was given a car and a piece of land after qualifying for the Games, and was promised a million dollars if he brought home the bronze medal or more.
Malaysia
Malaysia’s first athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in Paris will not have to go hungry: the delivery and transport company Grab has promised him free food orders for a year.
They will also receive a Chery SUV and a luxury apartment from real estate developer Top Residency, the government said.
India
When Neeraj Chopra won gold in the javelin throw in Tokyo, a businessman promised him unlimited free flights on the airline IndiGo for a year and a new seven-seater SUV.
Singapore
After Joseph Schooling made history at the 2016 Rio Olympics by defeating the great Michael Phelps to win gold in the 100-meter butterfly, ride-sharing service Grab offered him and his family free transportation for a year, which he shared with a blind masseur and a para-swimmer.
Singapore Airlines will contribute one million air miles and the government will donate one million Singapore dollars (US$750,000) for each gold medal.
Hong Kong
The Hong Kong government gave Paris fencing gold medalists Vivian Kong and Cheung Ka-long lifetime passes on the city’s subway system and promised the same to all other medalists.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club will also pay individual gold medal winners HK$6 million (US$770,000).
Gym chain Pure is offering lifetime memberships to all 35 Hong Kong athletes competing in Paris, and local airline Cathay Pacific announced it would give all medal winners free business class flights for a year.
