The Olympic Games have transformed over time from a showcase for amateur athletes when the first modern edition was launched in Greece in 1896, during which professionals were banned from participating, to a gathering of more professional athletes.
The Sportico platform report indicated that athletes participating in the Paris Olympics receive a total salary of 1.35 billion US dollars in wages, bonuses, prizes, sponsorship contracts, and others.
This does not prevent athletes from moving between full-time and part-time jobs to cover their expenses related to training and competitions.
Spanish golfer Jon Rahm, 29, tops the list of the highest-paid athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympics, with a total income of $210 million.
Jon Rahm earns $190 million in salary, plus $20 million in endorsement deals.
Ram has also topped the world golf rankings for a record 60 weeks.
Jon Rahm made history as the first Spanish player to win the US Open golf title in 2023.
Forbes magazine also ranked him as the second highest-paid athlete in 2024, after Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, captain of the Saudi Al-Nasr Football Club.
American LeBron James, a player for the Los Angeles Lakers and the US national basketball team, comes in second place with a total income of $127.7 million, of which $80 million is in sponsorship contracts and $47.7 million is in salary.
It is noteworthy that James remains the highest-paid basketball player in the world according to Forbes magazine, and the fourth highest-paid athlete in the world in 2024, with a total income of $128.2 million.
Four American basketball stars made the list of the highest-paid athletes at the Paris Olympics, from second place, occupied by LeBron James, to fifth place, with income ranging from 89 to 127 million US dollars.
Golden State Warriors player Stephen Curry is in third place with a total income of 101.9 million euros, divided between 51.9 million in salary and 50 million from sponsorship contracts.
Curry is considered the greatest shooter in basketball and one of the greatest and most technically skilled stars not only of the current generation but of all time.
Curry has twice been named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player and won the competition four times.
Greek-Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo, a player for the American Milwaukee Bucks team and the Greek national basketball team, came in fourth place with $100.8 million, $45.8 million of which was in salary and $55 million in endorsement contracts.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is the fifth highest-paid athlete in the world, according to Forbes, with $111 million in 2024.
Antetokounmpo remains the only NBA player to finish a season ranked first in points, assists, blocks, rebounds and steals.
American Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns came in fifth place with $89.7 million, $47.7 million of which was in salary and $42 million from endorsement deals.
Durant was part of the US basketball team that won the gold medal in the last three Olympic Games in 2012 in London, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro and 2020 in Tokyo.
Durant has the most points in U.S. Olympic team history with 435, the most attempts with 276 and the most three-pointers with 74.
Source: Media reports
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2024-08-01 23:21:58
