Should they be as successful at this summer's Olympics as many think they have the potential to be, Russia's best gymnasts will return home not just famous, but rich.
Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin has promised Olympic medal winners cash bonuses: 4 million roubles (about $130,000) for gold medal winners, 2.5 millilon roubles to silver medalists ($82,500) and 1.7 million roubles ($56,000) for bronze medalists.
What does that mean for gymnasts? Suppose Viktoria Komova were to have a similar meet at the Olympics as she did at the 2011 World Championships (one gold and two silver medals). The government would award her the equivalent of $295,000. If Aliya Mustafina were to do as well as she did at the 2010 Worlds (two gold, three silver) she would earn $507,500.
Not bad for a 17-year-old.
Russia, which did not win any Olympic medals in gymnastics at the 2008 Games, was notably displeased with itself after Beijing. It's not the only country to use money to motivate potential medalists -- Italy and Romania have done the same in the past.
The International Olympic Committee does not give cash prizes with Olympic medals, but some athletes are able to profit from their accomplishments through endorsement deals, sponsorships and appearances before and after the Games.
(via The Couch Gymnast Facebook and AIPS)
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