Notre Dame has trumped athletes on the International Olympic Committee's funding pecking order.
IOC president Thomas Bach has pledged 500,000 euro (NZ$843,000) of the organisation's cash to help restore the fire-ravaged cathedral so it can provide a pleasant backdrop for broadcasters at the 2024 Paris Games.
$1.5 billion has already been offered by philanthropists to help the Notre-Dame cause.
The Inside The Games website reports the IOC also gave $74,000 to a giant panda breeding centre in China three years ago - Beijing hosts the 2022 Winter Olympics.
Meanwhile, some athletes continue to crowdfund to get to each Games.