World Athletics has introduced it would change into the primary worldwide federation to award prize cash on the Olympic Games.

The international governing physique mentioned a complete prize pot of $2.4m (£1.9m) has been made accessible for this summer season’s Olympics in Paris, with gold medallists receiving $50,000 (£39,400).

This will probably be prolonged to silver and bronze medallists at Los Angeles 2028.

World Athletics president Lord Coe known as the choice a “pivotal moment”.

There will probably be 48 athletics occasions in Paris, with relay gold medallists to share their prize cash among the many staff.

“The introduction of prize money for Olympic gold medallists is a pivotal moment for World Athletics and the sport of athletics as a whole, underscoring our commitment to empowering the athletes and recognising the critical role they play in the success of any Olympic Games,” Coe mentioned.

“While it is impossible to put a marketable value on winning an Olympic medal, or on the commitment and focus it takes to even represent your country at an Olympic Games, I think it is important we start somewhere and make sure some of the revenues generated by our athletes at the Olympic Games are directly returned to those who make the Games the global spectacle that it is.”

Greg Rutherford, who gained gold within the lengthy leap at London 2012, mentioned: “This is a brilliant step in the right direction and I take my hat off to Seb Coe and the rest of the World Athletics staff for initiating this improvement.”

The former British athlete mentioned the view that Olympic sports activities are nonetheless beginner “couldn’t be further from the truth”.

World Athletics mentioned the format and construction of prize cash for the 2028 Games will probably be introduced nearer the time.

It added that the cost of prize cash will rely upon athletes “undergoing and clearing the usual anti-doping procedures”.

Given the Olympics’ origins as an beginner sports activities occasion, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) doesn’t award prize cash however distributes funding via worldwide federations (IF) and nationwide Olympic committees (NOC).

Some nationwide Olympic committees supply monetary rewards to their medallists, although the British Olympic Association doesn’t.

The IOC mentioned: “It is up to each IF and NOC to determine how to best serve their athletes and the global development of their sport.”

Rutherford, who was additionally an Olympic bronze medallist in Rio in 2016, mentioned he hopes different sports activities can undertake the identical method as World Athletics.

“Athletes from around the world sacrifice so much to achieve the most difficult accolade in sport, becoming Olympic champion – standing at the top of the podium and hearing your national anthem is one of the greatest feelings you can have,” he mentioned.

“But, the scrutiny that the athletes are constantly under – along with the comparisons to other sporting success stories – always fail to mention the lack of financial support given.”

The 2015 lengthy leap world champion added: “I really hope the athletes across all sports will now finally be supported by the multi-billion dollar IOC and their efforts, not just by individual sports, for the long-term health of the Olympic movement.

“We do that for the love of the game, however it’s also our livelihood.”

Swedish Olympic pole vault champion Armand Duplantis said World Athletics’ move was a “step in the suitable path”.

Meanwhile, Norwegian Olympic 400m hurdle champion Karsten Warholm said the prize money did not change his motivation to win an Olympic gold medal, but he agreed it was the “proper path” for building a professional sport.