Similar to the arrangement in Tokyo 2020, Belgian athletes will receive bonuses for their performances in the upcoming Paris games. It will be the first time both Olympic and Paralympic athletes receive the same bonus.
Athletes delivering outstanding performances in the upcoming July and August events in Paris will be rewarded with a bonus provided by La Loterie Nattionale.
This significant bonus or award for athletes aligns with the COIB and its clear goal: to increase the number of Top 8 placements from the last Olympics held in Tokyo in 2021. Consequently, Belgian athletes placing in the Top 8 will receive a bonus, just like in the previous Olympic Games, but now on an equal footing.
For instance, a gold medal in Paris will be rewarded with a bonus of €50,000, while silver will receive €30,000, and bronze €20,000. The fourth-place will receive a bonus of €10,000, while those ranking fifth to eighth will receive a respectable prize of €5,000. In team sports, bonuses per athlete will be €12,500 (gold), €7,500 (silver), €5,000 (bronze), €2,500 (fourth place), and €1,250 (fifth to eighth place). Coaches (who do not win medals for their directed athletes) will also receive a bonus, limited to 25% of the amount received by their athletes.
The update in line with current times is that the bonuses for Paralympic medalists will be equal to those achieved by Olympic athletes. Paralympic coaches will also see their bonus increase from 10% to 25%, the same percentage as their Olympic counterparts.
The BPC, in consultation with its athletes’ commission, applies special rules that take into account the specificity and context of Paralympic sports in our country. Thus, the BPC will grant bonuses only for medals, not for Top 8 placements. If an athlete wins multiple medals, only the highest-value medal will be considered for the bonus calculation.
This measure is very positive for athletes, not only receiving recognition for years of effort but also a prize from the Belgian community, which knows that by playing the lottery, they can also honor the athletes who will make them proud in the upcoming Olympic event in Paris starting from July 26 next year.
