The Price of Gold

Medals are defined not by how fast a lap around a track, how far a ski jump, or how flawless a figure skating routine is. Success doesn’t come out of a rank on the scoreboard. Achievements can be defined only by dedication. By hours and hours of practice. By the shedding of blood, sweat and tears.

This is election year, which means this is the year that athletes across our diverse planet dive into head-to-head combat to earn the ultimate victory—a gold medal in the Olympics. To stand on the pedestal that marks first place is the highest honor an athlete could behold while representing his or her nation.

This year, the competition takes place in the bitter cold Sochi, Russia. The only thing colder than the slopes of Sochi is the injustice winners must face after tasting victory. The U.S. Olympic Commission awards cash prizes to Olympians who win a medal – twenty-five thousand dollars for a gold, fifteen thousand dollars for a silver and ten thousand dollars for a bronze. But the money is considered earned income abroad and subject to IRS taxation. It seems the U.S. is officially claimed the winner of cheating its athletes out of the most money.

Two of the most devoted competitors of our nation’s team are Meryl Davis and Charlie White. Solely by watching them float on the ice in the figure skating competitions, the hours upon hours of commitment and determination become prevalent.

There is an old saying that would fit this situation. “In the end, your hard work will pay off.” When athletes like Davis or White win the gold medal, they appear to have been granted a $25,000 award. However, this is a façade placed on the Olympians of our nation. Up to $10,000 of the prize money will be lost due to taxation.

Imagine if you were suddenly placed in the life of an Olympian. You wake up before the sun to train. Your diet is extremely strict, no cheesecake or chocolate. Your schedule consists of nothing social, just the sport you plan on medaling in. Day in, day out. Hours stacked upon hours. You eat, sleep and breathe training. You have become mentally reengineered into a machine that knows no distractions and shows no mercy on the field. The day comes. You stretch your muscles for the final time before the event. Your toe touches the start line. The gun sounds. You gain on your competition, picking them off one by one. You cross the finish line. The medal is placed around your neck. Just as you capture the victorious feeling, a chunk of it is ripped from your grasp.

It’s not all about the money. Figures aren’t all that matters. Nevertheless, these sportsmen and women have fought to claim their rightful places in the world of physical excellence. What the IRS has placed upon them is not only wrong, but highly unfair. These people make a career out of their passions for athletic prosperity. To deprive them of even a specimen of their triumph is exceedingly unmerited.

What are your thoughts? Do you think the athletes should be left alone to relish their success? I would enjoy reading your feedback via email.