Lausanne, Switzerland, June 25, 2026: For the first time in history, every athlete at the Olympic Games will be eligible for a new USD10,000 “Fit for the Future Olympian Grant”.
The grant has been set up to support the sporting career or the career transition of Olympians.
A fund of USD140 million per Olympiad has been set aside, as announced by the Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission, Pau Gasol, during the 146th IOC Session in Lausanne, Switzerland on June 24.
The first athletes to benefit from this initiative will be the Olympians who competed at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.
The Fit for the Future Olympian Grant complements the existing support programmes.
About 14,000 Olympians per Olympiad are expected to be eligible for a grant of USD10,000 for each edition of the Olympic Games in which they compete. The grant will be delivered through existing National Olympic Committee structures.
If an Olympian chooses not to apply for this grant, their allocation will remain in the fund to benefit future Olympians. The grant will not decrease or detract from already existing support provided by the IOC to the NOCs, International Federations, Organising Committees for the Olympic Games or Olympic Solidarity.
Announcing the grant to the IOC membership, Gasol said: “This grant will be available to every Olympian. Not just medal winners. Not just athletes from certain countries. Every Olympian. Because, while every athlete's journey is different, every Olympian has made sacrifices to reach the Olympic stage.
“Years of dedication. Years of hard work. Years of believing in a dream. This is not prize money. This is about recognising the journey and the commitment it takes to become an Olympian. And it is about recognising that every Olympian is part of our Olympic community, and honouring those who have come before us and paved the way, so that current and future generations of Olympians can benefit.”
IOC President Kirsty Coventry added: “It has been a topic of conversation for many years, and I am extremely proud that we are now able to do this.”