LAUSANNE, April 27, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - The head of the International Olympic

Committee (IOC) distanced himself from a taboo-busting move from World
Athletics' governing body to offer prize money to gold medallists at this
year's Paris Olympics.

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe's announcement earlier this month
that track and field winners at the Paris Games will receive $50,000 (47,000
euros) has sparked mixed reactions.

No other sports federation pays prize money at the Olympics.

During an exclusive interview with AFP, IOC boss Thomas Bach made it clear
that he thought international sports federations like World Athletics should
be focused on reducing inequalities between countries.

"The international federations have to treat all their member federations and
their athletes on an equal basis and to try to balance this gap between the
privileged and the less or under-privileged," he said.

National Olympic committees rather than international federations were free
to motivate their athletes with prize money, he said, noting that he received
money from the German committee for his fencing gold medal in 1976.

"Each pillar of the Olympic movement has its role to play," he said, adding:
"It's very clear what the responsibility of an international federation is
and what the responsibility of a national Olympic committee is."

Coe's move was welcomed by some leading athletes, but has sparked a backlash
from bosses of other sports amid concerns it will further entrench the
advantages of rich countries.

The Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) said it
"undermined the values of Olympism" and the Association of National Olympic
Committees of Africa called the move "repugnant to the fundamental principles
of the Olympic Movement."