Bart Somers wants equal pay for Olympic and Paralympic athletes
Flemish Minister for Equal Opportunities Bart Sommers (Open VLD) wants to equalize the prize money for Olympic and Paralympic athletes. This will be discussed with the BOIC and the Paralympic Committee.
“It is clear that our Paralympic athletes deserve the same amount of respect and appreciation as our Olympic athletes. ‘It is natural that the prize money is the same,'” Minister Summers said in a press release.
Our country has already won thirteen medals at the Paralympic Games. However, the prize money the winners receive is less than that of their fellow Olympians.
There is no reason why a silver medal at the Paralympics should be three times less than a silver medal at the Olympics. Just as there is no reason for the government to reward 4-8 places in the Olympics, the same honorary places at the Paralympics are not, says Minister Summers.
He plans to hold a meeting with the competent authorities to equalize that reward. Prize money is the same in countries such as America, Germany and France. We have to do the same here,” Sommers continues.
This is not only logic per se, but also symbolically and socially significant. People with disabilities are not second-class citizens, but they deserve equal opportunities and fair pay.
“It is clear that our Paralympic athletes deserve the same amount of respect and appreciation as our Olympic athletes. So naturally, the value of the award is the same,” Minister Summers said in a press release. Our country has already won thirteen medals at the Paralympic Games. However, the prize money received by the winners is less than that of their fellow Olympians. There is no reason why a silver medal at the Paralympics should be three times less than a silver medal at the Olympics. Just as there is no reason for the government to reward 4-8 places in the Olympics, the same honorary places at the Paralympics are not, says Minister Summers. He plans to hold a meeting with the competent authorities to equalize that reward. Prize money is the same in countries such as America, Germany and France. We have to do the same here,” Sommers continues. This is not only logic per se, but also symbolically and socially significant. People with disabilities are not second-class citizens, but they deserve equal opportunity and fair pay.
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