Money means medals, yes – but it also means ‘value alignment’
For Olympians, receiving state funding means athletes can afford to wait to choose commercial sponsors that truly share their values – which benefits both parties
It is often said that money means medals when it comes to government support for Olympic athletes, but it also means more opportunity to be selective in picking the right commercial sponsors, according to one of Ireland’s Tokyo medallists.
Aidan Walsh, the welterweight boxer who won bronze at last year’s games, said strong backing from central funding would allow him to wait for brands that he is comfortable working with.
“That’s a stress in itself. When you’re in a position where you need money, you’ll almost take anything. With funding, I can decide that I want to work with people who are promoting good, healthy options. I don’t want to be sponsored by something that is a bad look for kids growing up,” Walsh told the Business Post.
