Sally Pearson, an Olympic gold medalist and one of Australia’s finest track and field athletes, has criticized the Paris Olympics for not adequately supporting athletes who make significant financial sacrifices to participate.
The 2012 London Olympics gold medalist in the 100m hurdles expressed her discontent with the organizers, stating they fail to provide a living wage and expect athletes to compete without compensation while the event generates billions of dollars.
According to Pearson, the Olympic experience is often not about glitz and glamour; representing one’s country comes with substantial financial strains.
She feels that athletes are being exploited since they do not receive payment for competing in such a prestigious event.
“They are working just like anyone else and performing on a world stage, not solely for personal fulfillment, but also for our benefit,” Pearson remarked in her piece for News Corp.
“The cost of representing Australia. What is it truly worth? Most of the time, it can be a considerable financial burden.”
Reflecting on her own journey that began at the age of six, when she aimed to become the best in the world, Pearson shared, “You don’t think about the sacrifices you’ll have to make when you’re six; you only focus on the end goal.”
Sally Pearson had a stellar track and field career, winning a gold medal at the London Games – but said her time in the limelight came at a steep cost
Pearson has revealed the huge financial sacrifices athletes are forced to make to compete at the Olympics – only to get no pay in return
Turning professional at 17 with a $15,000 annual contract from Adidas, Pearson commented that it was only sufficient for her basic needs.
She put in relentless effort to sustain herself as an athlete, asserting that “nothing is truly amateur anymore, not even the Olympics.”
Pearson connected with current Australian athletes to gain insight into their financial hardships.
Alanah Yukich, a contender in the women’s 400m hurdles, incurred $6,000 in personal expenses for competitions across 16 days in two continents.
To cover these expenses, Yukich set up a GoFundMe page, stating, “It has definitely alleviated the financial pressure for me leading up to the Olympics.”
Tori West, participating in the women’s heptathlon, spent $35,000, which included costs for her two coaches.
“It was a significant investment, but thankfully it paid off,” West mentioned. Tayleb Willis, the only 110m hurdles competitor, spent over $10,000 for his trip to Canada before joining the Australian team in France.
Australia’s Kaylee Mckeown has led the charge at the Paris Olympics where our women athletes have dominated the pool and in other events
Pearson pointed out that prior to being selected, athletes often need to travel globally to secure their qualifications.
“Once selected and during preparation camp, all living expenses while there and in the Olympic Village are covered, which is beneficial in principle — but what about the living expenses that await the athletes back home?” she questioned.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) reported revenues of $11.7 billion from 2017 to 2020/2021, with 90 percent of that allocated back into sports and athlete development.
Nonetheless, many athletes do not receive any of that funding and must finance their Olympic aspirations independently.
“They forfeit their day jobs and are frequently unpaid to pursue a lifelong dream,” Pearson stated.
While swimmers like Ariarne Titmus get plenty of support, other athletes are struggling to survive to represent their country because they are not paid by the IOC
Pearson was particularly outraged by the expectation that athletes should perform for free.
“Our Olympians do not receive payment to entertain us at the largest sporting event in the world, the Olympics,” she stressed.
She made a comparison, saying, “Imagine telling Taylor Swift, ‘Oh, by the way, your Eras tour will be pro bono, so you won’t be compensated for entertaining the crowd.’”
Sports commentator David Culbert echoed Pearson’s sentiments, noting, “The gun goes off, and there are 12 athletes in the final competing for free, followed by a barrage of ad breaks, all funded by advertisers.”
“This might have worked for our first Olympic athlete Edwin Flack back in 1896, but it certainly doesn’t cut it in 2024.”
