08.03.12
Fuck the US Olympians
Ridiculous news story, complaining Italy pays its gold medal winners, of which it has hardly any, too much:
With many countries in the world facing financial difficulties, there is greater focus on how much money governments are spending on Olympic athletes or Olympic-related events.
Raising eyebrows, Italy’s $182,400 payout to any Italian who wins a gold medal. That’s the highest payout in the world.
DD blog readers know what comes next. Since the US is the world champion of bragging, having eclipsed France in talent long ago, there must be something that shows us more virtuous and noble. We would never indulge in such gold-plated largess. US Olympians aren’t spoiled. Our US Olympic Committee is among the cheapest in the world, keeping the compensation down, presumably so it doesn’t go to anyone’s head:
In the U.S., gold medal winners get $25,000, $15,000 for silver and $10,000 for bronze. This is not government money, it’s paid by the U.S. Olympic Committee ..,
Taxes on a gold medal could run as high as $8,986, while silver could be $5,385. On a bronze metal, the tax might be $3,500.
The piece notes poor Missy Franklin, still in high school, will owe $14,000 in taxes for her medals.
This collection of news stories nobly portray her passing up millions in endorsements to stay an amateur.
Who would believe such shit? Yeah, our celebrity Olympians get no money. They’ve passed it up for the glory of sport.
“When she and her parents talk about college, the Franklins say they’re going to sit down and have a discussion if sponsors come calling,” it reads here. Took about two seconds to find that.
“After all, she’s one of the girls who starred in and helped produce USA Swimming’s Call Me Maybe video spoof, a good team-bonding activity.”