The amount of money that Simone Biles and the US gymnastics team get for gold medal wins has been shared by online news platforms. The sum has sparked discussion among social media users for a specific reason.
What’s interesting and what has become a point of contention online is the fact that US gymnasts who are competing in the trials do not get paid, unlike other professional athletes.
Furthermore, US athletes, in particular, do not receive money for participating in the Olympics. However, their medal winners do get prize money.
According to Forbes, the US will pay all its athletes who win gold medals a $37,500 bonus, which is sourced from the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
Based on the same outlet’s compilation of the highest-paid female athletes in the world, which they calculated last year (2023), iconic gymnast Simone Biles sits at number 16 on the list of 20 female athletes.
Simone Biles at the Paris Olympics, posted on July 30, 2024 | Source: Instagram/olympics and usagym
She made a total of $7.1 million by the time the scores were tabulated. $7 million stems from what Forbes dubs “off-field” activities and the other $0.1 million was made “on-field.” Biles tied with Indian badminton player P.V. Sindhu.
Simone Biles at the Paris Olympics, posted on July 30, 2024 | Source: Instagram/olympics and usagy
Upon learning the amount of money each country has made for their medal wins thus far in this year’s Olympics (2024), many social media users have expressed disappointment concerning the US’s earnings.
They also had a lot to say about the $37,500 bonus the US will award their athletes, like Biles and the rest of the gymnastics team, for winning gold medals.
“Embarrassing,” an Instagrammer expressed in the comment section of a post highlighting the top ten gold medal bonuses by nation. Another asserted, “US gets way too many golds to be matching this level of payout.”
“The United States needs to reevaluate what they pay for gold medals. 🧐,” stated an online observer. On the other hand, some people think the US bonus amount is more than fair.
“To be fair the amount of gold medals Simone [Biles] wins is more than the equivalent,” noted a netizen. A Facebooker exclaimed, “If it’s per gold medal, Simone Biles can walk away with $187,500!!!”
“Thinking LeBron and Simone are doing okay. Good for that young lady from Hong Kong!” penned another observer. They highlighted the fact that Hong Kong athlete Vivian Kong is $768,000 richer after she won her country’s third gold medal ever.
Vivian Kong posing with her gold medal during the Women’s Épée Individual medal ceremony in Paris, France on July 27, 2024 | Source: Getty Images
Another comment from someone on X reminded people of the fact that competing in the Olympics means more than just earning a large payout. They expressed, “Playing for your country is about Pride not Money…”
