Paralympic Performance Recognition program to financially reward Canadians for Paralympic medals
Canadian Paralympians will receive equal prize money to that of Canadian Olympians.
The Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) announced a new program on Wednesday that will provide a financial reward for medals won by Canadians at the Paralympic Games, starting this summer at Paris 2024.
The Paralympic Performance Recognition program will reward athletes with $20,000 for winning a gold medal, $15,000 for a silver medal, and $10,000 for bronze at the Paralympic Games — equal to the amount that Canadians receive for Olympic podium performances.
“Today is a historic day for Paralympic sport in Canada, and is the cumulation of years of work to create a more equitable, inclusive space for Canada’s Paralympians to compete,” says Marc-André Fabien, President of the Canadian Paralympic Committee, in a press release. “For many years, CPC has been focused on developing a system that is fair and effective by investing in athlete development and strengthening Canada’s Paralympic Movement.
“We have made significant advancements in support of Paralympic sport in recent years, and a performance recognition program was the next major priority to ensure athletes receive both the resources they need to continue competing, and the recognition they deserve for their dedication and accomplishments on the world stage.”
The Paralympic Foundation of Canada has created an endowment of $8 million to launch the Paralympic Performance Recognition program, with 50 per cent of that money coming from lead donor Sanjay Malaviya through the Malaviya Foundation. The healthcare technology entrepreneur has matched an initial $2 million investment from the Canadian federal government, and committed to matching another $2 million investment once that money has been raised for a total of $8 million.
Malaviya previously made a $1.2 million donation in 2020 to directly support Team Canada’s Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic medallists — giving each of them $5,000 — and his $4 million contribution this time is one of the most significant donations in Canadian Paralympic sport history, according to the CPC.
“I have spoken to so many Paralympic athletes and each one has a story of dedication and passion, but also of barriers and adversity they have faced along their sporting journey,” said Malaviya in a press release. “Canada’s Paralympians are incredible athletes who unite all of us as they proudly represent our country, and I am thrilled to be able to support them and celebrate their accomplishments in this way.”
Similar initiatives for Paralympic athletes already exist in other countries, while a program for Canada’s Olympians has been in place since 2006.
“Today’s announcement is so much more than sports news,” Aurélie Rivard said in a press release. Rivard, a ten-time Paralympic medallist in Para swimming (five gold, three silver, two bronze) would have already earned $165,000 in rewards had this initiative been around at the start of her career.
“We are making the decision as a country to equally value and support the athletes representing Canada, regardless of their differences,” Rivard continued. “I think that this is a major step towards seeing a Paralympic medal worth the same as an Olympic medal.”
“I am exceedingly excited to learn Paralympic medallists will be receiving prize money for each medal they win,” added Tokyo 2020 Para judo silver medallist Priscilla Gagné. “This initiative truly shows us Paralympians that we are valued as much as Olympians are.
“I’m so grateful for the generosity of Mr. Malaviya and also extend my thanks to the Government of Canada for its contribution to this program. I’d like to thank all of those who have been working towards this behind the scenes for their efforts and making this dream a reality.”
The CPC also shared that the Paralympic Foundation of Canada is launching another initiative later this year, IGNITE, which “will be the largest-ever initiative to empower the Paralympic Movement in Canada by breaking down barriers to participation,” according to the CPC.
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