There's the mysterious box, the new Instagram followers, the global recognition, the stuffed mascot, and of course, the gold, silver and bronze hardware -- but for some 2024 Paris Olympic medal winners, there are cash prizes, cows, cars and even colonoscopies
According to a report from CNBC, the International Olympic Committee, the governing body of the Olympics, does not give out prize money for winning medals. However, 14 countries do provide payouts to athletes who make the podium, including the U.S.
Here's a breakdown, according to CNBC. All amounts listed have been converted to U.S. dollars:
COUNTRY | GOLD | SILVER | BRONZE |
Hong Kong | $768,000 | $384,000 | $192,000 |
Singapore | $745,000 | $373,000 | $186,000 |
Indonesia | $300,000 | $150,000 | $60,000 |
Israel | $271,000 | $216,000 | $135,000 |
Republic of Kazakhstan | $250,000 | $150,000 | $75,000 |
Malaysia | $216,000 | $65,000 | $22,000 |
Spain | $102,000 | $52,000 | $33,000 |
France | $87,000 | $43,000 | $22,000 |
South Korea | $45,000 | $25,000 | $18,000 |
United States | $38,000 | $23,000 | $15,000 |
Japan | $32,000 | $13,000 | $6,000 |
Poland | $25,000 | $19,000 | $14,000 |
Germany | $22,000 | $16,000 | $11,000 |
Australia | $13,000 | $10,000 | $7,000 |
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In some countries, the stakes are a bit different.
South Korean medalists are awarded pensions in addition to winning prize money, CNBC said, in the form of an annuity or a lump sum. For getting on the podium at the Tokyo Olympics, Indonesian badminton players also won five cows, a meatball restaurant and a new house, Reuters reported.
But Carlos Yulo, the gymnast who won the Philippines gold medals in floor exercise vault, may be taking home some of the best prizes.
See where Biles, other US Olympians rank among gold and total medal leaders in Paris
According to a report from Yahoo! Sports, Yulo will take home a fully furnished three bedroom condo along with a lifetime of free cookies, ramen, academic credits and even colonoscopies.