Croatian Medal Winning Athletes To Get Special Pension

Croatian sportsmen and women who win a medal at a World Championship, Olympic Games, Paralympics and Deaflympics will be paid a special payment for the rest of their lives, after a the government passed a new law in the country yesterday.

The monthly “pension” the medal winning athlete will receive will be the average salary of a worker in Croatia (today that is around 720 euros per month) under the new law. Gold medal winning athletes will receive the full amount, whilst silver medal winners will receive 80% of that amount, and bronze medal winners 40%.

Those qualifying for the special payment must be Croatian citizens, live in Croatia and have no criminal record for an offence which carries more than 5 years imprisonment. The payments will be made when the athlete turns 45 until the rest of their lives.