The City of Light were incredible hosts for the recently concluded Olympic Games. However, even though we officially bid farewell to the massive event on August 11, the spotlight on the French capital continues to shine! The 2024 Paris Paralympics will commence on Wednesday, August 28. The world will witness athletes from over 180 countries contest 22 sports in the French capital. Prepare for yet another battle of the ultimate champion amidst the beautiful sights of the Stade de France, París La Défense Arena, the Chateau de Versailles Gardens, and more.

Nothing beats the feeling of claiming the coveted hardware for your nation on the world’s biggest stage. 3 years ago, Team USA won 104 medals in the Japanese capital. As they make their way to Paris, they have set their sights on bringing home Paralympic glory. We know what you’re thinking. Do the athletes receive prize money for their achievements? The short answer is yes. But let’s look at just how sweet the pot for them is.

How much do U.S. Paralympians get paid?

This time, the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) will award their medalists with a much larger cash prize. Gold medalists will get $37,500, silver medalists will walk away with $22,500, and bronze medalists will receive $15,000. While being awarded for their efforts is a bonus, many countries weren’t following that practice until the upcoming Paralympics in Paris.

As witnessed during the Paris Olympics, many gold medalists received a significant cash prize for their achievements. However, this wasn’t the norm for several Paralympians. The World Para Athletics had stated they would not be handing out any prize money. While the IOC doesn’t give out any prize money, several countries have taken on that responsibility for their athletes. This was the case for Team USA in 2016.

During the Rio 2016 Paralympics, they won 115 medals—40 gold, 44 silver, and 31 bronze. This happened to be their most medals since the Games in Atlanta in 1996. As an added incentive, the winners received a cash prize for representing their nation on the world’s biggest stage. Athletes who snagged the gold medal walked away with $7,500, while silver and bronze medalists received $5,250 and $3,750 after their stint in Rio. But will every Paralympian from around the world get their hands on a reward? 

Other nations vow to reward their athletes at the Paralympics

Team USA was awarded for their impressive feat during the 2016 and 2020 Paralympics. But the same couldn’t be said for other nations. While not every country handed out financial rewards, athletes did receive an added incentive. Team Great Britain won a whopping 124 medals in the Japanese capital. However, unlike their Olympic counterparts, they weren’t offered any bonuses. A recent rule change for Paris 2024 has now left that door wide open.

GB Para-athletes will receive the same prize as the Olympians—an annual training grant. The UK government announced that they will allocate £232 million for both the Olympic and Paralympic athletes before the 2024 Paris Olympic Games commence. Australia has joined in on awarding their athletes for their victory at the Paralympic Games too. Gold medalists will take home $20,000, silver medalists 15,000, and bronze medalists will walk away with $10,000.

Australia holds a special place for the Paralympics in their hearts. Which is why they decided to shake things up before the Paralympics commence in the French capital. Anika Wells, the Sports Minister, expressed the sentiment the Australian Government holds for the athletes set to compete. “Our Paralympic athletes are role models who inspire the nation, and we know Australia will be cheering them on as they compete in the coming weeks.” To ensure they feel celebrated, the athletes will now receive a cash prize of $20,000 for gold medalists, $15,000 for silver medalists, and $10,000 for bronze medalists.

Even though Team Canada racked up 21 medals in the Japanese capital, their number had taken a huge dip from their last two stints. This time, though, they have their sights set on the hardware. But they’re also looking to go big! The Paralympic Performance Recognition programs aim to keep this momentum going for their athletes. Every Canadian who medals at the French capital will be handsomely rewarded for their accomplishment.

Is there any difference between what the Paralympians and Olympians receive?

For the longest time, Paralympians weren’t privy to financial or any other rewards, regardless of how many times they medaled on the world’s biggest stage. However, the United States made sure they had a hefty incentive to keep their momentum going at the Games. Despite receiving a cash prize, it was nowhere near their Olympic counterparts. How did the nation reward each of their champions? Every gold medalist received $37,500, while silver and bronze medalists were given $22,500 and $15,000. In comparison to $7,500, $5,250, and $3,750, they knew a change was needed.

However, that didn’t happen until the 2018 Winter Games. That’s how the ‘Operation Gold Awards’ were created. After topping the medal table at the PyeongChang Paralympics, the United States Olympic Committee decided to increase the reward by 400 percent. The US Paralympians and Olympians would now receive the same financial rewards for representing their nation on the world’s biggest stage. 

USOC CEO Sarah Hirshland expressed, “Paralympians are an integral part of our athlete community and we need to ensure we’re appropriately rewarding their accomplishments.” With this in mind, she stated, “Our financial investment in US Paralympics and the athletes we serve is at an all-time high, but this was one area where a discrepancy existed in our funding model that we felt needed to change.” The USOC emphasized this by changing its name in 2019 – from ‘The United States Olympic Committee‘ to ‘The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee.‘ What are your thoughts on this?

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