Wealthy hedge-fund manager Ross Stevens has pledged $100 million to Team USA in the largest gift the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has ever received. Stevens, who founded Stone Ridge Asset Management, created a new program called the Stevens Awards. Every athlete who makes it to the Olympic or Paralympic Games will get $200,000, starting with the Winter Games in Milan and continuing through 2032.
According to the Daily Mail, the donation is meant to give athletes long-term financial stability. Unlike prize money for winning medals, this payment goes to every athlete who participates in the games, whether they win or not. However, the money comes with strict conditions about when and how athletes can access it.
Athletes won’t receive the cash right away. The payment is split into two parts with very specific rules about when they can collect the money. The first $100,000 will only be paid when the athlete turns 45 years old, or twenty years after they compete, whichever comes later.
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The payment structure puts financial security decades into the future
Once they reach that age, they will receive the money in $25,000 payments spread over four years. The second $100,000 won’t go to the athlete at all. Instead, it will be given to someone the athlete chooses, but only after the athlete dies.
This delayed payment system is very different from how US athletes normally get paid. American athletes receive $38,000 for a gold medal, $23,000 for silver, and $15,000 for bronze. These amounts are much lower than what other countries pay. For example, Hong Kong and Singapore give their athletes $700,000 for a single gold medal.
The United States has won more than 3,000 Olympic medals throughout history, more than any other country. Despite this success, American athletes receive some of the lowest payments in the world. The reason is that the USOPC gets no money from the federal government. It depends entirely on media rights, sponsorships, and donations to operate. In the world of professional sports, financial security remains a major concern, much like the trade deadline moves affecting NBA veterans.
Stevens said he created this program because he believes financial worry should not stop elite athletes from reaching their goals. “The Olympic and Paralympic Games are the ultimate symbol of human excellence. I do not believe that financial insecurity should stop our nation’s elite athletes from breaking through to new frontiers of excellence,” Stevens stated.
Athletes who compete in multiple Olympic cycles will receive even more money. An athlete who participates three times would earn $600,000 total from the Stevens Awards. While Olympic athletes plan for their financial futures, other athletes across different sports are also hitting major career milestones.
USOPC chair Gene Sykes praised the donation, saying, “Because of Ross’ extraordinary generosity and philanthropic creativity, we can create more than a financial safety net. We can build a springboard that will propel these athletes to even greater heights beyond their Olympic and Paralympic careers.” The payments will likely be taxed when received, and beneficiaries will also pay taxes on their $100,000. This year’s Winter Games team has 232 athletes, the largest US team ever sent.
Published: Feb 7, 2026 03:00 pm