That shit is so sad.
How badly is your society functioning when your Olympians can't even pay rent, holy fuck.
this post was submitted on 02 Aug 2024
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You know Olympians don't get paid right?
I know but she's from "the greatest country on earth", competing at the highest level of her sport and the system she lives in can't provide for her?
That's just sick.
That's the rules for the Olympics. It's supposed to be a competition against amateur athletes. Therefore, it's against the rules for her to receive any compensation from the government for her contributions.
I don't think they're saying she should be paid for her work in the Olympics. I think they're saying she is a very talented person who, even outside of this competition, cannot afford rent, which is sad.
Supposed to be, but I'm pretty sure I've seen NBA professionals playing at the Olympics. Why make an exception for them?
They started letting off-season pros play a few decades ago, and there was a lot of controversy about it.
I don't think the NBA is a government agency, either, so is the government paying the NBA guys?
Maybe they were thinking of the NSA?
All those professionals competing in amateur Olympics really messes with the concept though, eh?
Furthermore, many countries reward medalists with a small bonus. In Canada, for example, you get something like $10-20k ($CAD) per medal. Not a lot, but you can probably cover a month or two of expenses. Being an athlete isn't cheap.
Yeah, there was a lot of controversy when I was a kid over letting professional athletes compete in the Olympics during the off-season. Plus I'm sure some less scrupulous countries directly fund the programs just under the table. But for this particular case, your issue should be with the rules prohibiting college players from receiving compensation, despite the schools making millions of dollars from their sports programs. Her beef is with the school, not with the nation.
It’s supposed to be a competition against amateur athletes
It hasn't been true in a long time. Basketball and hockey teams, for example, have been chock full of professional athletes for quite a while now. Hell, the American and Canadian teams are basically NBA and NHL All-Star teams.
There are also many countries that reward their Olympians handsomely for earning medals.
Doesn't mean you can be put in a position that finances you and sets up for a life after sports. Here most of the athletes are police or military who complete basic training and are on paid leave for as long as they are in the national team.