Big

This article states Russian Olympic wrestlers get $500K just for participating:


Suleiman Kerimov has headed the board of the Russian wrestling federation since 2006. He has offered a special prize to the Russian wrestling team performing at the Beijing Olympics. Each athlete is to get $US 500,000 for taking part., and if the wrestling team comes home with ten gold medals, each member will get $US 1 million.

http://www.russiatoday.ru/business/news/26088

dirtyholt

then again, a big mac is 250,000 in moscow these days

Big

Perhaps after Olympics they will immigrate to America with their $500K-$1mil to enjoy freedom and cheap McDonalds food.

bluestater

Just like you did!

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• NBC Chicago• Fourth Place Medal • Blast Double

gjfovf

The Russian athletes that win gold get taken care of by the sponsors on the Russian sports program. Read The Silent Gladiators by Nicholas Hopping. He goes into detail about the "gifts" that the wrestlers from Russia receive from wealthy patrons like Iskander Makmudov and the head of Lukoil.

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"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." T.S. Eliot