British athletes call for cash

Christian Malcolm won silver at last year's worlds

British athletes are calling for organisers of the European Indoor Championships to offer prize money.

Christian Malcolm, Ashia Hansen and John Mayock will line up for Great Britain in Vienna on Friday, and all three believe the European Athletic Association should offer cash incentives.

The level of competition is just as high as the worlds

John Mayock,
Great Britain captain

The International Association of Athletics Federations, which has offered prize money since 1993, offers outdoor world gold medallists $60,000 and indoor winners $40,000.

Malcolm won silver in the 200m at last year's World Indoor Championships and would like to the see European event follow suit.

"I got $20,000 for my silver medal in Lisbon," he said. "I believe there should be a form of payment to athletes.

"I'm not saying it should be on the same scale - but there is no big difference in the quality of opposition."

Great Britain captain Mayock backed Malcolm's stand.

"I think there should be prize money in the European championships," said Mayock. "In any other sport at this level I believe payments are made.

Hansen has called for change

"The level of competition is just as high as the worlds - and in the 3000m something else. The competition in Vienna will be loaded."

Triple jumper Hansen said: "I think you will find every athlete believes there should be prize money or we should be paid for competing.

"The Europeans are just as big and as important as the worlds - and you're up against the same athletes.

"If you break a world record in the world championships you get $100,000. It's unfair, you would get nothing for that in the Europeans."