Olympic delay leaves athletes uncertain about sponsorships

Aside from figuring out how to maintain their health and fitness for an additional year, athletes like Ryan Crouser suddenly faced another concern when the Olympics were postponed until 2021.

They also have to make the money stretch that far.

Crouser still hopes to defend his shot put gold medal at the Tokyo Games next year, but now needs to get clarity about his sponsorship funding going into 2021 since his contract and that of many other athletes only goes through 2020.

"It's a little bit tough because at the end of the day my contract, that's my salary," Crouser told The Associated Press.

"That's where I make the majority of my money."
"Just to say I wasn't really sitting on the couch this whole time."
"These games are called the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020," International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said Wednesday, therefore for me it's a logical consequence that the sponsors ... keep their rights even if the games are organized in '21."
"I think whatever is due to be paid in 2022 could be split 50-50 so half is in 2020 and the other half in 2021."
"Brands may have paid money and are not getting the return they expected. Likewise, athletes working with brands could be expecting to receive additional amounts this year but will not meet criteria for competing at the Olympics in the summer of 2020."
"I hope everyone stands together and they realize, 'Hey, these athletes are losing a lot of money by not being able to compete and not being able to earn bonuses. Let's not take another hit on them.' Hopefully the big companies absorb the loss more so than putting it on the athletes."