Olympic sports bodies criticize track and field's move to pay $50,000 for Paris gold medalists

GENEVA (AP) — Olympic sports bodies criticized World Athletics on Friday for promising to pay $50,000 for each track and field gold medal won at the Paris Olympics.

Last week’s move by the track body and its president Sebastian Coe broke with tradition because the International Olympic Committee does not pay prize money, though many state governments and national Olympic bodies do.

“For many, this move undermines the values of Olympism and the uniqueness of the games,” the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations, known by the acronym ASOIF, said Friday.

It also fueled speculation about the IOC presidential contest next year when Thomas Bach’s 12-year limit expires. However, his allies want the Olympic Charter changed to let him stay while Coe turns 68 this year and could be stopped by age limit rules.

Coe, a two-time Olympic champion in the men’s 1,500 meters, pledged $2.4 million — $50,000 for each of 48 gold medals in track and field — from his sport’s share of the IOC’s multi-billion dollar income. WA got about $39.5 million from the IOC for the Tokyo Olympics held in 2021.