Marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge recently shared his thoughts on the existing pay gap for young athletes and its potential consequences. The Kenyan marathon sensation opened up about his concerns following the announcement of the World Marathon Tour. He expressed his dissatisfaction with the way young athletes are compensated for every athletic event, urging for a more transparent system, especially for the long-distance runners.
Eliud Kipchoge Rues About Athletes Being Underpaid
In his interview with the BBC, Kipchoge voiced his concerns in the interview, stating:
“I am not satisfied with how athletes are being handled or how they are being paid. The sports world is making huge profits, but very little goes to the athlete.”
The Kenyan marathon legend highlighted the example of Evans Kibet, a promising Kenyan middle-distance runner, who went to Russia for better opportunities, but was instead conscripted for war and is now being held as a POW in Ukraine. He further added in the interview,
“It’s a real concern. And it’s a huge gap. If you do not appreciate somebody, they will move away, and if they move away without knowledge, that is a real window for exploitation.”
The 41-year-old will be running the World Marathon Tour, under which he has pledged to run at least one marathon on every continent on Earth.
In the aforementioned interview, Kipchoge also explained why he wanted to participate in the World Marathon Tour. The athlete revealed that he is no longer concerned about medals or validation.
“What I am doing is not retiring. I am evolving. I am running for purpose. Running is the most universal sport. It connects us all. With this project, I want to compete not only for records, but for the people. I want to inspire, to give back, and to remind everyone that no human is limited.”
Kipchoge hopes to raise at least $7m through this tour, with projects tailored to the local needs of each continent he participates in.
The 41-year-old Kenyan runner became the first runner to break the 2-hour barrier under special circumstances at a 2019 event in Vienna. Kipchoge had recorded an unofficial time of 1:59:40. Even officially, he is the second-fastest runner of all time, with a time of 2:01:09, which he clocked at the 2022 Berlin Marathon.
Kipchoge won four medals at the Summer Olympics, including two gold medals in the marathon events at the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2020 Tokyo Olympics, respectively.
