The Finnish Olympic Committee has announced that athletes Ilkka Herola and Eero Hirvonen will be awarded €30,000 for their achievement of winning a silver medal in the team event of Nordic combined at the Olympics. The amount will be shared among the members of the team, aligning with how rewards are typically allocated in team sports. In comparison, the committee offers €50,000 for a gold medal and €20,000 for bronze, reflecting a structured incentive system aimed at promoting excellence in sports.

Janne Hänninen, the head of elite sports at the Olympic Committee, clarified how the payment works: the reward will go to the athletes' fund, from which the athletes can withdraw at a later time, subject to taxation, or they might utilize the amount for their training and sporting expenses. This system emphasizes not only rewards for success but also encourages athletes to think about their financial planning within the realm of their athletic careers.

Additionally, Herola and Hirvonen had previously garnered individual bronze medals in the same competition, bringing their total earnings from the Olympics in the Nordic combined event to €35,000 from the overall prize pot. It's noteworthy that the International Olympic Committee does not provide any financial prizes, which puts emphasis on national bodies like Finland's Olympic Committee to support their athletes financially through merit-based rewards.