Is The USFA Paying?

[sabreman]

Are they giving out any $$$ for the medals? I seem to remember back in my day there being $50,000 pay day for a gold medal.

[prototoast]

Are they giving out any $$$ for the medals? I seem to remember back in my day there being $50,000 pay day for a gold medal.

I don't know, but if they did, wouldn't that ruin Mariel's NCAA eligibility even before she got started?

[DJ Apostrophe]

I don't know, but if they did, wouldn't that ruin Mariel's NCAA eligibility even before she got started?

only if she takes it...
-w

[sabreman]

I think it can be put into some type of training fund at her club. I believe there are ways to get around it.

[fencergal33]

It won't ruin anything if she donates all of it back to the USFA or to her club or college.....as long as she doesn't keep the money, she's fine.

[wflaschka]

Other countries have an "Olympic Solidarity" program; I'm not sure what this is, but it may be a funding thing.

I bounced the $50k off a friend of mine, who would know, and he said that Zagunis may now be able to turn in receipts (from travel, equipment) and get her expenses covered.

[scarlet_woman156k]

I have a health magazine from August that says in athens this is what winners gets:

gold: $25,000
bronze: $10,000

Doesn't say about silver, though...odd.

[oiuyt]

The USFA certainly pays out performance grants for results at World Championships (possibly world cups too?). This is consistently one of the over-budget items as our fencers continue to get improve and post better-than-expected results year after year. I assume that there are performance grants for Olympic results. I don't know amounts, but my best recollection was that for World Championship medals it was more on the order of $5000, $10,000, $15,000. Then again, this IS the big O.

Further information should be available in the Athlete's Handbook, which is posted on the USFA website.

-B :)

[qatet]

I bounced the $50k off a friend of mine, who would know, and he said that Zagunis may now be able to turn in receipts (from travel, equipment) and get her expenses covered.

The FAP Foil Gala, which offers cash prizes for the top 4, does similarly when college fencers win. They can either donate to their team or get reimbursed for their expenses.

[prototoast]

only if she takes it...
-w

Perhaps, but if I ever got 50k from fencing, I'd gladly give up my ncaa eligibility.

[greenchick]

Perhaps, but if I ever got 50k from fencing, I'd gladly give up my ncaa eligibility.

I dunno -- there are plenty of NCAA fencing schools where 4 years of tuition and fees comes out to a whole lot more than 50K.

[prototoast]

I dunno -- there are plenty of NCAA fencing schools where 4 years of tuition and fees comes out to a whole lot more than 50K.

Yeah, and I'm the one paying a whole lot more than 50k.