TOKYO • Steps are being taken to address the gap between prizes for Olympic and Paralympic gold medallists.
Earlier this week, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that the country's Paralympic medallists will receive bonus payments equal to Olympic medallists.
Olympic medallists for Australia at the Tokyo Games were given A$20,000 (S$19,980) for gold, while Paralympians were not eligible to receive any bonuses due to a lack of funding, according to The Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
But Mr Morrison confirmed that would change as para-athletes had represented the nation with great distinction and pride in Tokyo, "delivering performances that have buoyed millions during what is a difficult time for the nation".
Tokyo 2020 also marks the first time American Paralympic gold medallists will receive the same US$37,500 (S$50,200) cash prize as their Olympic counterparts.
Various state governments in India from Rajasthan and Haryana have announced they will give gold-medal winning para-athletes like Avani Lekhara and Manish Narwal between S$500,000 to $1 million as well as government jobs.
Since 2008, France has awarded the same amount for both Paralympic and Olympic medallists, said a spokesman for the French Paralympic and Sports Committee.
However, other athletes taking their place on the podium still find themselves left with cash prizes that are smaller than their Olympic counterparts, running against the event's ideals of promoting equality.
Host Japan's remuneration for gold medallists will be around 2 million yen (S$24,441) less for Paralympic athletes compared to Olympic champions.
"There are no plans to make up for the difference at the moment," Kazuhiko Ishida, director general at the Japanese Para-Sports Association said.
Canada does not even have incentives for medallists because of budgetary constraints.
"Canadian Paralympians do not currently receive financial (rewards) for winning a medal at the Paralympic Games," a spokesman for the Canadian Paralympic Committee told broadcaster CTVNews.
Britain does not provide prizes for medallists, be it at the Olympic or Paralympics, with athletes instead receiving an annual training stipend.
On the unequal cash rewards, the International Olympic Committee said: "It is up to each National Olympic Committee to decide whether they want to compensate their athletes."
Some Paralympians like Toru Suzuki, who finished fourth in the men's high jump T64 event on Friday, accept the disparity, citing in part the difference in popularity for the two global sporting events.
"It would of course be nice to have more, but I think for a lot of athletes the prize money is just an added bonus," he said.
But Ellie Cole, Australia's most decorated female Paralympian with 17 medals, including a silver and bronze in Tokyo, admitted the difference had always made her feel less valued until Mr Morrison's announcement.
"I've been on the Australian swim team now for 16 years and I've always felt valued as an athlete, but not equally," the para-swimmer told broadcaster SBS.
"Over the last few years, training alongside (multiple gold medallists) Cate and Bronte Campbell, I felt very valued in that programme. But when they went off to the Olympics and I went off to the Paralympics, it was a different story.
"Future Paralympic athletes won't ever have to feel the way that our Paralympic athletes have felt in the past... Feeling different from the person standing next to you is never a nice way to feel."
BLOOMBERG, XINHUA
