AOC Supports Athletes with $1.485 Million In Medal Incentive Funding After History Making Tokyo Olympics

The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) is distributing $1.485 million dollars to 108 athletes as part of its Medal Incentive Funding (MIF) program, based on podium results achieved at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The MIF scheme provides athletes with a financial incentive to keep training and preparing throughout the entire Olympic quad, ultimately representing Australia at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. 

With 17 gold, 7 silver and 22 bronze medals at the Tokyo Olympics, 108 athletes from 15 Olympic disciplines will receive cash payments, with $20 000 for gold, $15 000 for silver and $10 000 for bronze.

The MIF program provides support directly to athletes based on medal results at an Olympic Games, and at international benchmark events, such as World Championships in non-Olympic years. Athletes are only eligible for one MIF payment, so multiple medallists are paid at the level of their best result, and each athlete in team events are eligible for funding.

The AOC has distributed more than $10 million in medal incentive funding directly to athletes to support their Olympic campaigns since Rio 2016, with the $1.485 million the first payments of the Paris quad.

Of the 108 athletes receiving MIF payments from their Tokyo results, more than half had also received funding throughout the Tokyo quad due to podium results at benchmark events.

AOC CEO Matt Carroll said the MIF program is helping Australian athletes pursue their Olympic podium dreams.

“The Medal Incentive Funding program is putting money directly into athletes’ hands to support their training and preparation  to succeed at the next Olympic Games,” Mr Carroll said.

“While the exploits of the Australian Team in Tokyo are still fresh in our minds, Paris is less than 30 months away and hundreds of Australian athletes are already dreaming of wearing the green and gold in 2024.

“This $1.485 million dollars comes from the AOC through the support of our Partners and Foundation and will help athletes to train, travel and prepare for Paris.

“Hundreds of Australian athletes received MIF funding throughout the Tokyo quad, and with the shortened timelines between Tokyo and Paris, the funding and support for athletes will be even more crucial to providing the best opportunity for success in 2024.  

“This isn’t a one-off payment or reward for past performances, but an ongoing annual program that incentivises and funds Australian athletes to achieve their absolute best on the biggest stage.” 

Chef de Mission of the Australian Olympic Team in Tokyo Mr Ian Chesterman congratulated the athletes on their phenomenal results. 

“The Tokyo Team inspired Australia with their performances and attitude, and I’m thrilled to see strong performances continue in international competition over the last nine months,” Mr Chesterman said.

“This funding will help propel these athletes towards Paris as they continue to train and prepare to be among the very best in the world in 2024. 

“We saw first-hand the positive impact MIF payments had on athletes ahead of the Tokyo Olympics and this funding will help athletes stay at the top of their game as they build towards Paris 2024.” 

“The $1.485 million in MIF payments comes off the back of our best medal tally result since Athens 2004. The team in Tokyo set an incredibly high benchmark and I look forward to following Australian athletes’ progress in the next two years to Paris.” 

Tokyo 2020 silver medallist beach volleyballer Mariafe Artacho del Solar said the funding played a vital role for athletes chasing their Olympic dreams. 

With podium results at benchmark events throughout the Tokyo quad, Artacho del Solar and teammate Taliqua Clancy earned MIF each year from 2018 to 2021.

“The Medal Incentive Funding has a huge positive impact,” Artacho del Solar said. “It’s motivation to keep working hard and training, to keep going for that success. 

“To be at the top level in beach volleyball we need to compete internationally. there’s so much involved and the costs add up - travelling, accommodation, venue hire, training, food, health support and more all while being away from home for months at a time.

“Not having much international competition in 2020 and 2021 made it even tougher – our main income is from tournament prize money, so the Medal Incentive Funding gave us a lot of relief and motivation to stay focused and stay in it. It plays a massive role, not just in our athletic careers but in everyday life to support ourselves.

“Looking back over the past few years, Taliqua and I were a young, fresh team. For us to have achieved so much in so little time made us so excited to continue, and we haven’t peaked. We have even further to grow and we can’t wait to continue to improve towards Paris 2024.”

The silver medal-winning Kookaburras pooled their MIF payments to their 18-strong Olympic squad to share evenly over their wider 27-man squad, as they did with MIF payments for podium results throughout the Tokyo quad. 

Kookaburras co-captain and four-time Olympian Eddie Ockenden said the entire squad contributed to their Tokyo podium and is driving them towards more success in Paris.

“Every day we are driven by the motivation of being the world’s best hockey team,” Ockenden said. “We are constantly looking to improve and achieve sustained excellence and this Medal Incentive Funding supports us in doing this.”

“Spreading the funding across the entire squad was athlete driven and is part of our Kookaburras culture. The importance of the contribution from every player in the squad was even more crucial for our Tokyo Olympic campaign as the majority of matches in the 12 months leading up were intra-squad games against each other.

“Without all 27 athletes in the squad we would not have achieved what we did in Tokyo or at any other major tournament.

“To come so heartbreakingly close to the ultimate prize last year is spurring everyone involved with the Kookaburras on to go one better in Paris in 2024. 

Winter MIF payments are based on the winter competition season, with medal winning winter athletes eligible for 2022 MIF payments from July this year.

Further information on the MIF program is available at www.olympics.com.au/the-aoc/funding/

*Supplied by AOC