The prize money for Saudi Arabian gold medalists is going viral online.
With a total prize of 6 million Hong Kong dollars (US$768,000), Hong Kong currently offers the highest reward for gold medals at the Paris Olympics. The prize will go to Vivian Kong, who won the women’s individual épée final against France’s Auriane Mallo on July 27.
Although Hong Kong offers the highest prize money, Saudi Arabia, known for its oil money, is said to provide greater rewards overall.
In the past, Saudi Arabia awarded karate silver medallist Tareg Hamedi 5 million riyals (US$1.8 million) during the Tokyo Olympics. However, the country has yet to win an Olympic gold medal and has not yet revealed its medal prize money plan for the Paris Olympics.
Nine seconds into the final match, Hamedi kicked Iran’s Sajad Ganjzadeh in the neck, earning three points. Ganjzadeh lost consciousness and collapsed on the mat. He had to be carried out on a stretcher and was given an oxygen mask after remaining unconscious.
Following a few minutes of deliberation, the referees ruled that Hamedi lost per the rule permitting disqualification if an opponent sustains a severe injury.
While Saudi Arabia has never won a gold medal at the Summer Olympics, the potential prize money it might offer if it does win this summer remains a mystery. This unpredictability adds an element of intrigue to the upcoming games.
Aside from Hong Kong, Singapore offers around $730,000, while Poland provides approximately $66,000, including apartments and jewelry. Taiwan stands out with a prize of approximately $623,000 and a monthly allowance of around $3,700.
It may come as a surprise that some European countries, such as the UK, Norway, and Sweden, do not offer any prize money for Olympic medals. This is a stark contrast to the substantial rewards provided by other nations.
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