Cyprus is sweetening the pot for its Olympic athletes, with cash bonuses and job guarantees on offer for medallists and finalists.
The Cypriot government is providing up to €150,000 to athletes who win gold at the Olympic Games, according to the Cyprus Sports Organisation (CSO). Silver and bronze medallists will receive €125,000 and €110,000 respectively.
Financial incentives extend beyond the podium, with athletes placing between fourth and 16th receiving between €80,000 and €10,000. These bonuses will be paid in the year following the Games, provided athletes pass doping tests.
The following amounts correspond to the respective placements:
- 4th place – €80,000
- 5th place – €70,000
- 6th place – €60,000
- 7th place – €55,000
- 8th place – €50,000
- 9th place – €45,000
- 10th place – €40,000
- 11th place – €35,000
- 12th place – €30,000
- 13th place – €25,000
- 14th place – €20,000
- 15th place – €15,000
- 16th place – €10,000
In addition to cash rewards, athletes reaching the Olympic final will be guaranteed a public sector job upon retirement. This year, gymnast Marios Georgiou and high jumper Elena Kulichenko are among those eligible for the scheme as they made the final in their sport.
The CSO also provides financial support to top athletes in the lead-up to the Games through its High Performance Scheme.
This year, the government allocated an extra €350,000 to be shared among 18 athletes.
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