The road to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games has already begun for thousands of athletes around the world with the Olympic Solidarity program providing crucial support to help them turn their ambitions into reality.
Two years before the Games, one thousand, five hundred and sixteen (1,516) athletes from 176 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and 39 sporting disciplines are benefiting from Olympic Solidarity scholarships designed to ease the financial challenges associated with elite competition.
The programme, run by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), provides monthly grants that assist athletes with training expenses, equipment, travel and qualification events as they prepare for the biggest sporting stage.
The initiative has already produced significant results, with scholarship recipients winning 75 medals, including 26 gold, 20 silver and 29 bronze, across 24 sports at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Breaking Financial Barriers On The Olympic Journey
For many athletes, Olympic success depends not only on talent and dedication but also on access to resources. Olympic Solidarity aims to close that gap by ensuring competitors from different backgrounds have the opportunity to prepare at the highest level.
Lao rhythmic gymnast Praewa Misato Philaphandeth is among those benefiting from the programme. She believes the scholarship has helped her continue chasing her Olympic goals while reducing pressure on her family.
“This scholarship supports me a lot as it helps me cover the costs of training, competition and physiotherapy. I’m proud to say that I am on an Olympic scholarship. I hope that this will inspire the next generation of Lao gymnasts.”
Praewa Misato Philaphandeth
The first LA28 scholarships were launched in September 2025, with the group of supported athletes expected to change throughout the qualification period as more competitors join the programme.
Support Driving Confidence And Performance
Beyond financial assistance, Olympic Solidarity scholarships are also providing athletes with the confidence and stability needed to focus fully on their preparation.
Armenian gymnast Artur Davtyan, a four-time Olympian and Paris 2024 silver medallist, highlighted how the support has helped him concentrate on improving his performance rather than worrying about daily expenses.
“The Olympic Solidarity scholarship helps me not to think about everyday expenses, freeing my mind from that burden and allowing me to focus more on my training,” Davtyan said.
The gymnast is now targeting further success at LA28, with the ambition of improving on his previous achievements and becoming an Olympic champion.
Paris 2024Success Inspires The Next Generation
The impact of Olympic Solidarity was evident at Paris 2024, where 604 scholarship-supported athletes representing 171 NOCs competed and delivered medal-winning performances and historic milestones.
Zambia’s Muzala Samukonga was one of the athletes who transformed support into Olympic success after claiming bronze in the men’s 400m. The achievement has strengthened his belief ahead of the Los Angeles Games.
“After winning the bronze medal at the 2024 Olympics, it made me believe that I’m capable of doing anything. That was my first appearance at the Olympics and I managed to win a medal, so it really motivates me that I can do more than that at LA28.”
Muzala Samukonga, Zambian relay athlete
Olympic Solidarity will invest USD 71 million during the 2025-2028 Olympic cycle to support athletes preparing for both the Summer and Winter Games. The programme continues to focus on creating equal opportunities by redistributing IOC revenues and investing in athlete development worldwide.
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