Do Olympians get paid if they don't medal?

Yes, Olympians can get paid even if they don't win a medal, but the amount varies greatly depending on their country, sport, sponsorships, and professional status. The International Olympic Committee itself does not pay athletes a salary or participation fee for competing; it distributes revenue to international federations and national Olympic committees. In the United States, the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee pays only medal bonuses: $37,500 for gold, $22,500 for silver, and $15,000 for bronze as of Paris 2024, and nothing for non-medalists from the USOPC directly, though they do provide stipends, health insurance, and training grants to top athletes through its high-performance programs. However, many non-medalists earn income from other sources such as monthly stipends from their national governing body, sponsorships and endorsement deals from brands like Nike, Adidas, and Speedo, prize money from World Cups and World Championships, and jobs as coaches or speakers. Some countries like the UK, Australia, and Germany provide annual funding to Olympic team members regardless of medals to cover living and training costs. Many Olympians also work regular jobs, are in the military's World Class Athlete Program, or receive college scholarships. So while there is no automatic paycheck for just participating, most Olympians have some form of financial support beyond medals.