Olympics: Russian athletes to receive $94,800 bonus for gold

Russia's gold medal winners in Athens could receive the biggest bonuses the country has paid to their Olympic champions.

"We haven't come up with the exact sum yet, but it should be at least US$60,000 ($94,800)," Russian Olympic Committee president Leonid Tyagachyov said yesterday.

The Government said they would pay US$50,000, US$20,000 and US$10,000 to gold, silver and bronze medal winners respectively.

"That would make our Olympic champions at least US$110,000 richer," Tyagachyov said.