Each Slovenian gold medalist at Beijing Olympics to get about 40,000 euros

Each Slovenian gold medalist at Beijing Olympics to get about 40,000 euros

BELGRADE, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Each Slovanian gold medalist at the Beijing Olympics will get a combined reward of 39,350 euros (some 62,920 U.S. dollars), the Slovenian Olympic Committee announced on Tuesday.
The committee said that it would give 20,000 euros (31,980 dollars) for a gold winner, while the remaining part would be contributed by the government.
A silver medalist would get a combined reward of 30,400 euros (48,609 dollars), while a bronze taker would be rewarded with 21,450 euros (34,298 dollars).
Individuals in team sports are also eligible for rewards, the only potential candidates being the men's basketball team, which is playing at the ongoing qualifying tournament in Athens.
The Slovenian Olympic Committee will reward each player from the twelve-man roster 10,000 euros (15,990 dollars) if they win gold at the Olympics, while the state would make a one-off 96,750 euros (154,703 dollars) payout to the team.
Slovenia competed in the summer Olympic Games for the first time in 1992 Barcelona. It was the first Olympiad after Slovenia seceded from Yugoslavia in 1991.
At least 61 Slovenian athletes will travel to Beijing for the Olympic Games, the Slovenian Olympic Committee confirmed on Tuesday.
The list of 41 men and 20 women may yet be expanded by 12 names if the men's basketball team is successful at the ongoing qualifying tournament in Athens, said the committee.
The committee also adopted in January a pay package for Slovenian medalists at the Olympic Games in a bid to increase incentives for top-flight athletes in the country.
Under the plan, gold at the Olympics would be worth 1,044.69 euros (1670 dollars), silver 783.52 euros (1253 dollars), and bronze 522.23 euros (835 dollars), which will be paid from a special fund each month for four years.