© Fernando Frazao/Agencia Brasil via Flickr
For a gold medal, an Olympian receives an award of $25,000 from the U.S. Olympic Committee, CNN Money notes. A silver medal has an award of $15,000 and $10,000 is received for a bronze.
An Olympian is required to pay state and federal taxes on the total prize money they collect, including the worth of their medals.
A gold medal is actually made mostly of silver and has a value of about $564. A silver medal is worth about $305, and a bronze, which is mostly made of copper, has a negligible value and is not taxed.
Considering how the U.S. is one of the only countries that does not provide government funding to its Olympians, the added tax burden placed upon them increases the difficult position many are already in financially.
If an athlete is lucky, they will be offered a lucrative endorsement deal. The remainder of Olympians must rely on the small stipend they receive from the USOC, support from local businesses or work a day job to supplement their income.
An Olympians' stipend may be as little as $400 a month, according to Wired.
The average cost an Olympian spends per year on expenses is as low as $18,000 for a gymnast, and between $150,000 to $500,000 per year for a tennis player, research by Wired shows.
Comment: There seem to be a trend of small provocations exploding into civil disruption and violence. The article didn't state that the N. Africans were, in particular, refugees, but the rapid rise of foreign influx into stable localities has assuredly taken its toll on resources, emotions and good will. Fear factors and anger feed spontaneous reactions. Another sign of the times.