John, Carter welcome IOC's new Olympian grant

■ Mark Pouchet

TRINIDAD and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) Athletes' Commission chairperson Kwanieze John and national swimmer Dylan Carter have welcomed the International Olympic Committee's new US$10,000 grant for Olympians, with both describing the move as a meaningful boost for athletes who devote years to competing on the world stage.

The IOC announced on Wednesday that every athlete who participates in the Olympic Games will be eligible for the grant through its new 'Fit for the Future Olympian Grant' programme, a plan tied to broader IOC reforms under president Kirsty Coventry.

John said the announcement was 'a landmark and athlete-centred step for the Olympic Movement', adding that it recognises 'the value of every Olympian, not only medallists' and reflects athlete voices gathered through the IOC's Fit for the Future consultations over the past year.

He said the grant will not solve every financial challenge but called it 'meaningful progress' and 'one additional pillar of support' within a wider athlete-support system.

John also pointed to other IOC resources such as Athlete365, Olympic Solidarity support, business accelerator programmes, scholarship opportunities and career workshops, saying the local Athletes' Commission's role is to help athletes access every available opportunity.

'As the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee Athletes' Commission, one of our key goals is to ensure that our Olympic athletes are aware of, prepared for, and able to access every opportunity available to them. We see this announcement as a positive and progressive step in the right direction, and we will continue working to guide and support our athletes through the process,' she said.

The IOC said the grant will begin with athletes who compete at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games and will be available to those who meet anti-doping and Olympic Charter requirements.

Reuters reported that the IOC also approved charter amendments on Wednesday aimed at reinforcing the political neutrality of sport and revised the programme so individual disciplines, rather than entire sports, will be assessed for inclusion from the 2032 Brisbane Games.

The TTOC Athletes Commision is set to make its new logo public when the TTOC hosts the local leg of Olympic Day Saturday.

The financial package marks a significant shift for the Olympic movement. The UK Guardian reported that about 14,000 Summer and Winter Olympians are expected to be eligible, with the fund worth around US$140 million, while the Financial Times said the grant would be paid to all eligible Olympians who have not breached anti-doping rules, ethical codes or the Olympic Charter.

John said the new measure is especially important because athletes are often vulnerable after the Games, whether they are moving into another cycle or into life after sport.

He said the grant could help with development, education, career transition or continued pursuit of excellence, and added that it should be viewed as part of a broader ecosystem of support rather than a standalone fix.

Carter-a three-time Olympian who is also a World Aquatics Bureau Member and sits on the World Aquatics Athletes Committee- also praised the decision and said it reflects the value of athletes' time, sacrifice and commitment.

'Athletes devote the prime years of our lives to our sport and deserve to be compensated as such. No one would spend that amount of time and effort in any other profession without due compensation. I commend the IOC decision and believe it is a massive step in the right direction,' he said.

The IOC's move has already drawn wider attention in international sport, coming amid ongoing debate about athlete pay, financial hardship and the long-term sustainability of elite competition.

For John, however, the bigger picture is simple: the new grant is welcome, overdue, and only the opening note in a much larger athlete-support symphony.