# IOC's Coventry Rejects Direct Athlete Payments

**Published:** 2026-05-30T05:00:01.000Z  
**Topic:** Gold  
**Sentiment:** neutral  
**Publisher:** TrendWatcher — https://www.trendwatcher.in/article/99027c2f-50d9-44bc-828c-02c01c2fa072

New IOC President Kirsty Coventry stated she does not believe in paying athletes, sparking criticism from Olympians amid the organization's billions in revenue.

International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry has stated she does not believe in paying athletes directly for their participation in the Olympic Games [2, 3]. The comments, made during a visit to New Zealand, have drawn sharp criticism from prominent Olympians who argue the stance is exploitative given the organization's substantial revenue [2].

**Key takeaways**
*   Coventry told media she prefers funding development programs over direct athlete payments [2, 3].
*   The IOC generated $12.4 billion during the 2021-2024 cycle, while Coventry earns a reported $350,000 salary [2].
*   Athletes like Greg Rutherford and Cameron McEvoy criticized the comments as "greedy" and poorly timed [2].
*   World Athletics defied the IOC by offering $50,000 to gold medalists at the 2024 Paris Games [2].

## A stance rooted in the amateur model

Coventry, a former Olympic swimmer from Zimbabwe and the first woman and African to lead the IOC, argued that funds should support scholarships and infrastructure rather than direct paychecks [2, 3]. She stated that athletes benefit from "beautiful venues, beautiful villages and a beautiful experience" funded by the money the organization raises [2]. Her perspective aligns with the traditional "Olympic solidarity model," which relies on national organizations, sponsorships, and taxpayer funding rather than direct compensation from the IOC [2, 3].

## Backlash from the sporting community

The remarks have sparked a backlash from athletes who highlight the disparity between executive compensation and athlete earnings. Greg Rutherford, Britain's 2012 Olympic

## Sources
1. WTOP News — [Olympic champion Caster Semenya disappointed with Kirsty Coventry after IOC’s transgender decision](https://wtop.com/sports/2026/03/semenya-criticizes-ioc-chief-coventry-after-transgender-athletes-barred/)
2. Irishtimes — [IOC president Kirsty Coventry doesn’t ‘believe in paying athletes](https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/athletics/2026/05/30/ioc-president-kirsty-coventry-doesnt-believe-in-paying-athletes-that-will-age-badly/)
3. Swimmingworldmagazine — [IOC President Kirsty Coventry: ‘I Don’t Believe in Paying Athletes’](https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/ioc-president-kirsty-coventry-i-dont-believe-in-paying-athletes/)

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Cite as: TrendWatcher, "IOC's Coventry Rejects Direct Athlete Payments", https://www.trendwatcher.in/article/99027c2f-50d9-44bc-828c-02c01c2fa072