China set to raise bonus for medal winners

Li declined to disclose details of the plans.

Cash bonus for gold, silver and bronze medal winners at the last Olympics in Sydney was 150,000 yuan (about $18,000), 80,000 yuan ($9,600) and 50,000 yuan ($6,000) respectively, Xinhua news agency reported.

However, Li said that athletes shouldn’t expect too much, given that the Asian sports giant was still a developing nation.

“Although you have earned honour for the motherland and therefore deserve some awards, the amount has to be kept at a reasonable level,” he said.

The per capita income of China’s urban residents now stands at around $1,000 a year.

China, which won 28 golds and ranked third in the medal tally four years ago in Sydney, is sending 407 athletes to compete in 203 events in 28 sports in Athens.