During the Olympic Games seasons, biathletes have no World Championship. Then, the active athletes usually have less prize money to compete for. But now, the International Biathlon Union (IBU) has decided that they will pay out the same amount of prize money next season in the World Cup as they do this year in the World Cup and World Championship – equivalent to 108 million kronor.
It's good, because it's clear that just because it's an Olympic year, it would be sad if we got paid less. Now, there's no prize money in the Olympic Games, but I think that's something the IOC really should consider. It's strange that it should be that way, says Sebastian Samuelsson.
Why should there be prize money at the Olympic Games?
Biathlon is our job, and if you look at the huge commerce that the Olympic Games are, it's very strange that the athletes don't get to take any part of it – that the IOC takes care of the money and puts it away.
"Not a little money"
Last summer, the International Athletics Federation decided to award Olympic winners in athletics. But Samuelsson doesn't think that the IBU should pay for Olympic results, but rather that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) should be responsible for the prize money.
Of course, the IOC should pay, they have big sponsors like Coca-Cola and Samsung, and it's not a little money we're talking about.
That there will be more money in the World Cup this year, for the best net times in the pursuit and for the best times on each relay leg, Samuelsson and Hanna Öberg think is good.
It's always welcome when there's more prize money, so it is. In relays and pursuit, you want to get as good results in the competition as possible first and foremost. But in pursuit, if you start a bit further back, you have a little extra to drive for. You'll take it all the way to the finish line anyway, says Öberg.
Important money
Samuelsson says that the prize money is important because it's his salary. Öberg also thinks it's important with prize money.
It's a big part of how I can live on this. It's many who can now live on it since more get prize money now. When I started, it was top 15, now it's top 30. So now more have the opportunity to live on the sport, says she.
The prize sums in the World Cup and World Championship increase this season by 7 percent to equivalent to 108 million kronor.
Those who get more are the placings 3-10 and 17-29 in the World Cup and placings 2-4 and 26-30 in the World Championship.
Additionally, prize money is introduced for the one with the fastest net time in the pursuit (23,000 kr) and for the fastest on each relay leg (9,800 kr).
It has also been decided that there will be the same amount of prize money during seasons when there is no World Championship. The prize money therefore increases in the World Cup during Olympic Games seasons.
The point system is also adjusted slightly. More points are given to those who finish in placings 3-9.
