Proposal to reward 3.5 billion VND for athletes winning Olympic gold medals

Athletes who win Olympic gold medals will have their bonuses increased from VND350 million to VND3.5 billion. This is one of the breakthroughs in the draft revised Decree 152 that the sports industry is developing, expected to be submitted to the Government in 2025.

Vietnamese athletes and sports coaches are preparing to receive increased salaries, food allowances, and medal bonuses - Photo: QUY LUONG

On the morning of November 7, leaders of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism chaired a conference to collect expert opinions on the draft Decree replacing Decree 152 of 2018 of the Government "Regulating policies and regimes for sports team members participating in concentrated training and competitions".

Perfecting the legal document system

Previously, on January 8, 2025, the Government issued Resolution 01 on key tasks and solutions to implement the Socio -Economic Development Plan and State Budget Estimates for 2025, in which the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism was assigned the task of: " Amending and supplementing Decree No. 152 of the Government stipulating a number of regimes for sports coaches and athletes during training and competition periods".

On May 26, based on the proposal of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh gave instructions and agreed with the Ministry's proposal to draft a decree to replace Decree 152.

Currently, the regime and policies for coaches and athletes are regulated in three different documents, specifically: 1. Decree 152 of 2018 includes policies: salary; training and competition support money...; 2. Decree 36 of 2019 stipulates the regimes and policies: health care, injury treatment; cultural education guarantee...; 3. Circular 86 of 2020 of the Ministry of Finance stipulates in detail the special nutritional regime for coaches and high-performance athletes.

The content of the regulations in these documents is not really consistent and unified. Therefore, integrating the regulations on regimes and policies for coaches and athletes in the above documents into a new decree (amended Decree 152) will form a series of policies and regimes throughout the athletes and coaches from the time they are selected for training until the end of their sports career.

Track and field "star" Nguyen Thi Oanh currently receives a salary of about 7 million VND per month - Photo: NAM TRAN

The life of athletes and sports coaches is too difficult

According to Circular 86, Decree 152, Decree 36 currently in effect, the current policies for coaches and athletes are considered too low, equal, not ensuring a living standard nor creating motivation for the development of Vietnamese sports.

Specifically, currently, national team athletes receive an average salary of 7 million VND/person/month. Athletes who do not have achievements or win gold medals at SEA Games, Asiad, or Olympics when joining the national team also receive the same salary.

Nutritional costs (including daily meals, drinking water, supplements, etc.) are also very poor, causing athletes to not have enough nutrients to train. Medal bonuses won in competitions are similar, too low.

Based on the above reasons, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism proposes to adjust: Increase by 100 % the salary, training and competition support money for athletes and sports coaches compared to the current regulations; Adjust to increase by 26.5% the level of special nutrition allowance for coaches and athletes during training and competition at home and abroad as prescribed in Circular 86.

Thus, instead of receiving a salary of 270,000 VND/person/day, national team athletes will receive a salary of 540,000 VND/person/day.

National youth athletes will receive 430,000 VND/person/day instead of 215,000 VND. Athletes from provinces, cities and sectors will receive 360,000 VND/person/day instead of 180,000 VND.

The national team head coach, national team coach, national youth team head coach, and national youth team coach will receive the following salary increases: VND 1,010 million, VND 750,000, VND 750,000, and VND 540,000/person/day, respectively.

In addition to requesting a 100% salary increase for all athletes, the Ministry proposed additional special benefits for athletes with excellent monthly achievements at the following specific levels:

Athletes who win Olympic gold medals receive 40 million VND/person/month; Asian Games gold medalists receive 20 million VND/person/month; and those who qualify for the Olympics and win Paralympic medals receive 10 million VND/person/month. The subsidy period is 4 years from the time the athlete achieves success at the Games to the next Games.

Olympic gold medalists are expected to be awarded 3.5 billion VND instead of 350 million VND - Photo: REUTERS

Medal bonus increased from 2-10 times

One of the most important breakthroughs of this revision of Decree 152 is that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism proposes to increase medal bonuses for athletes.

Specifically, athletes who won Olympic gold, silver and bronze medals were previously awarded 350, 220, 140 million VND and 140 million VND respectively if they broke records. Now, the proposed rewards will be: 3.5 billion VND, 1.75 billion VND, 875 million VND for Olympic gold, silver and bronze medals and an additional 875 million VND if athletes break the Games record.

The rewards for athletes winning Youth Olympic medals have also increased to: 400, 200, 100 million VND for gold, silver, bronze medals and 100 million VND for breaking records (current regulations are: 80, 50, 30 million VND and 10 million VND for new records).

Athletes who win Asian Games medals will be rewarded respectively: 700, 350, 175 million VND for gold, silver, bronze medals and 175 million VND for new records (current regulations are: 140, 85, 55 million VND and 55 million VND for new records).

Athletes who win SEA Games medals will be awarded 60, 30, 25 million VND for gold, silver, bronze medals, and 25 million VND for new records (current regulations are: 45, 25, 20 million VND and 20 million VND for new records).

If the draft Decree 152 is approved by the Government in 2025, it will be a breakthrough. The revised Decree will help improve the lives of athletes and coaches and create great momentum for the development of Vietnamese sports.

Similarly, athletes who win medals at Paralympic Games will also receive increased rewards. Specifically, athletes who win gold, silver and bronze medals at the Paralympics will be awarded VND1.1 billion, VND550 million, VND275 million and VND275 million for breaking records (current regulations are: VND220 million, VND140 million, VND85 million and VND85 million for new records).

KHUONG XUAN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/de-xuat-thuong-3-5-ti-dong-cho-vdv-gianh-huy-chuong-vang-olympic-20250807145228986.htm