Athletes chase quick buck

The world's top athletes are quids-in in Brisbane

Once upon a time the Goodwill Games were about building bridges between the eastern and western blocs.

Now, as Trinidadian sprinter Ato Boldon confirms, they are about just one thing, cash.

"The two most important meetings of the year are the World Championships and the Goodwill Games," said Boldon.

"The World Championships for the titles, the Goodwill Games for the money."

We want to give the athletes a whole bunch of money

Mike Plant
Games president

The games origins lie in the tit-for-tat boycotts of the 1980 and 1984 Olympics, and they were the brainchild of US media mogul Ted Turner.

Starting in 1986, the Goodwill Games alternated between the USSR and the USA, the Cold War foes the event was intended to bring together.

This year, however, the Games are taking place in Brisbane, Australia, the first time they have been staged outside the former enemies.

Among those chasing the money are legendary American 400m runner Michael Johnson, who is making his final championship appearance.

Five-time Olympic champion Johnson skipped the Worlds, but runs in Brisbane after the organisers paid him £100,000 just to turn up.

Among the British athletes looking to add to their pension funds are Jonathan Edwards, Dwain Chambers and Kelly Holmes.

Edwards is a banker in the triple jump

They stand to pocket £13,800 if they win their event and there are also cash rewards for records, with anyone breaking a world record taking home £68,750.

The rewards have already led to surreal scenes during the swimming events.

In the men's 100m freestyle, Brazil's Fernando Scherer got as far as the 50m mark before climbing out of the pool.

Scherer was after the £3,450 on offer for setting a new national record and thought he had broken the Brazilian 50m mark.

However, by getting out of the pool at the halfway stage, he was disqualified, and his record-breaking time was declared void.

Changing times

The organisers are open about the fact that the world's top competitors are competing for the money.

The Games' president, Mike Plant, said: "Let's deal with reality, times have changed for athletes.

"I don't think you'll find one single athlete who doesn't think they deserve to be able to drive a car to training, to care for their families, to have proper health insurance.

"I feel good that we can contribute to their future.

"We want to give them a well-organised, professional environment to compete in, a world-wide TV audience, and a whole bunch of money."

There is, however, another reality the event's organisers will soon have to deal with.

With the Cold War over and the global sporting calendar so crowded, is there a need for an event like the Goodwill Games.

Despite the riches on offer, it appears that many athletes have already decided that the Goodwill Games are an irrelevance.