Should IR$ Tax Olympians For Winning And Representing U.S.?

I’ve been watching some of the Olympics and some of the stories of how some of America’s athletes have struggled to reach the pinnacle event for their sports.  Many of them have had to sacrifice years of ‘normal’ growing up in order to train, train and train some more.

For example, Michael Phelps has been swimming since he was 9 years old.  Now at age 27, Phelps has devoted 18 years or two thirds of his life, to become the greatest medal winning athlete in Olympic history.

John Orozco, member of the U.S. men’s gymnastics team sacrificed a lot to get to the Olympics, and so did his family.  At one time, the family didn’t know how they were going to pay the mortgage: John got a job and gave them his entire check, telling them to pay the mortgage.

There are many similar stories of personal and family sacrifice that went in to training these young men and women for the Olympics.  So in light of all the sacrifice, personal and financial, made by our athletes and their families, the I.R.S. is ready to pounce on every medal winner.

As it turns out, the United States government will pay each medal winner an honorarium for representing the country.  A bronze medal worth $5 earns the athlete $10,000, a silver medal worth $385 earns the athlete $15,000 and a gold medal worth $675 earns the athlete $25,000 per medal.

When you consider all that has gone into training for the event, it hardly seems enough, but it’s better than years ago when the athletes received a medal and nothing more.  Yet to add insult to injury, the I.R.S. will be taxing each winner 35% of their earnings.  That means a bronze medal winner will pay the I.R.S. $3,502 in taxes, a silver medal winner will pay $5,385 in taxes and the coveted gold medalist will pay a whopping $8,986 in taxes for both the medal value and the honorarium.

I personally believe that this is a travesty and insult to our athletes and their families.  If our government is going to tax the athletes that represent our nation in the world’s biggest sporting competition at the rate of 35%, then that should go with all of the politicians in Washington who also represent our nation on the world’s arena.  Barack Obama should then have to pay 35% of his salary and all of the perks that go with the presidency.  If the athletes have to pay on the value of their medals, then Obama should do likewise on the value of everything he is given.

Let’s see, how much does it cost the country to house him, his family and his mother-in-law in the White House?  Shouldn’t that be taxed at 35% also?  Oh, yeah, there is also the prize of using Air Force One when flying via jet and Marine One when flying by helicopter.  Shouldn’t Obama be taxed 35% of the cost of each flight (fuel, pilots, Secret Service, food, etc?  What about the $400,000 plus vacations taken by Michelle Obama?  Shouldn’t she have to pay 35% tax on those costs also?

After all, Obama is constantly saying that he wants to raise the taxes on the wealthy and make them pay their way and a president should lead by example, shouldn’t he?  I believe it’s only fair if they are taxing the Olympic athletes for winning, that the same rules should apply for Obama and others.


  • PBolyard

    You make an excellent point here about the ridiculous tax code. Several years ago we were a host family for minor league (AA) baseball players. At the time, the league minimum pay was something like $1500/month (plus $20/day meal money when they were on the road). A lot of the guys had families in other states they were supporting and many really struggled financially. Someone got the bright idea that those one percenter Major League Baseball players ought to be paying taxes on free tickets they were receiving for family members. So these guys eating Taco Bell for breakfast, lunch, and dinner had to start claiming the tickets as income.

    These taxes almost always end up hurting the little guy. Reason #23,893 we need a fair or flat tax.

  • Screeminmeeme

    Whoever in Congress came up with this brilliant bit of legislation ought to be summarily removed from office, sentenced to life in a basement somewhere.....and the bill repealed. This profligate bunch of wanton spendthrifts would do anything to get their squandering hands on our money.

    It's outrageous.

    Maybe we should tax Congress for every act of stupidity.....yeah.....that's the answer.
    In no time at all our debts would be paid and we would be in the black again.

    • ONTIME

      When elected or appointed and working for the government, stupidity is rewarded and getting fired is not a option...

    • Dixiegirl05


  • NCBigmouth

    There is an opt out for Olympians, appear with the Leader in a photo op and have the tax bite reduced by 50%. He will gladly take half a pie and get a great smiling op.

    • Dixiegirl05

      This is the stupidest question. Of course not! What involvement did the government have in their success? NONE! It 's kind of like taxing us for being successful, investing wisely, or starting a business, even though our government had absolutely nothing to do with it. Tax and spend is their motto. This is completely absurd!

  • Derek Schneider

    This is absolutely ridiculous. All politicians should be taxed at twice the highest individual rate until a balanced budget has been approved...and these athletes should not be taxed at all on the value of the medal...or the honorarium given to them for achieving the pinnacle of excellence. Should tax Obama on his Nobel Peace award that has lost a great amount of prestige and honor due to having been given to him. It will never be looked upon the same way again.

    • Brad Nova

      They should not be taxed for winning but should they get an Olympic exemption on their income?

      • Billy Mullins

        Brad Nova asked: "They should not be taxed for winning but should they get an Olympic exemption on their income?"

        How about they get taxed on real income? Such as endorsement deals or commercials? In what universe does taxing the value of their Olympic medals make sense? In what Bizarro reference frame does giving them an honorarium for "representing the country" with one hand and turning around and outright stealing 35% of that honorarium as taxes PLUS 35% of the nominal value of their medal with the other morph into something fair and equitable?

        Very early on Dear Leader took his Lady for a night on the town in NEW YORK CITY to the tune of $OVER SEVENTY GRAND!!! Since then the Obamas have taken multiple Hawaiian vacations on the taxpayers' dime. We the People have subsidized a lavish lifestyle - if Robin Leach was still doing his famous series, they would surely be in it - for the Obamas, should they not be taxed accordingly?

        Note: As I compose this, they are showing the medal ceremony where MIssy Franklin received her 3rd gold medal - and thereby upped her tax bill to almost $TWENTY-FIVE GRAND!!! What a great way to show her how much we appreciate all her sacrifice to represent us?

  • Wesley

    better yet lets their campaign contributions 50% and the contributors get no tax breaks from it. given the amount of money these incumbant campaigns have at their disposal that only would take a huge chuck out of our deficit. they love to spend other people's money just on their own.

  • Gringo Infidel

    If the IRS can do this, then why not have the athletes sue the US for their services?

    Where does the lunacy end?

    • Les Landers

      Good point Gringo Infidel. But I must add the IRS needs to destroyed, demolished and eliminated forever!! Did I miss any thing?? Hum?

  • Kem

    I just found out our Olympians are taxed, this government should be ashamed of itself.

    • jazzpast

      Mitt Romney doesn't even pay his taxes why should the Olympians? Mitt Romney hasn't paid taxes for ten years. Mitt PHONEY should be forced to prove that he paid his taxes, because he hasn't! Mitt Romney is a CROOK, a TAX CHEAT! Mitt Romney is a criminal for not paying his taxes for ten years. Mitt the LYING TWIT is consistently cynical and self-serving!

      • PBolyard

        /|/|/|/|/|/|/|/| Makes stuff up.

      • JohnDavidHanna

        He pays taxes - he pays taxes on taxes.
        I don't like his exemptions though either but ... ,
        maybe we should go to a VAT tax on sales tax only.

      • duif100

        Why does that make him a criminal (If it is true in the first place)?
        Did he avoid paying taxes legally or illegally?
        You should consult with senator crook Reid first!
        It only qualifies him as Secretary of the treasury if he did it illegally, the same way it qualified Obama's choice and current Secretary of the Treasury Geitner.

      • billy2


      • Joyce

        Romney pays his taxes but I don't think he should have to turn over 10 years of tax returns to Obama when Obama hasn't even let Romney or anybody else know his REAL NAME or anything else about himself. You've probably been brainwashed by Dirty Harry who made that false claim, then said he wasn't sure it was true but the ball's now in Romney's court to prove his allegation isn't true. What a dirty underhanded trick to plant lies in other people's heads, knowing full well there are idiots who will take his comment at face value and not check things out for themselves! The present administration WILL DO EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER to try to win again. Hopefully, most of the voters won't be so easily mislead as you seem to be.

        • jazzpast

          Your a LIAR! Romney doesn't pay his taxes! That's ok he is going to be forced to prove he paid!! Your SOCIALIST RINO Romney has money hide all over the world! In fact what Romney has done is a TAX FELONY!

        • jazzpast

          NO! Your a LIAR!! And it was on Shaun Hannity on FOX NEWS! Romney is going to be forced to prove he paid his tax! What your Socialist RINO Romney did is a TAX FELONY! Romney has money hid all over the world!

      • Bettypearl

        Are you going to just take the word of Obama? Mitt Romney has given more to charities than Obama would ever think of giving. Besides, do you think you have the full story? Some people believe anything and everything they hear without the full story. It's time some start looking into the nitty gritty of lies and where they are coming from.

        • jazzpast

          Obama didn't give me the information lady. I got it off Shaun Hannity on FOX NEWS! People like you could care less about the facts anyway!! You would vote for Adolf Hitler himself, and care less! They are going force your SOCIALIST Romney to prove he paid tax!

        • cal.223

          taking your meds, jazzy?

        • jazzpast

          Romney is a First Class moron. Grow Up!

      • AlbertstheMan

        Let lying fa99ot Obongo turn over all his college & personal records he has spent millions to keep from the public eye.

        Does a moron like you even know how to spell hypocrite let alone know what it means?

        • jazzpast

          I'm a moron? You must be a FAT AZZ mormon IDIOT! I got this information off FOX NEWS! Dum AZZ people like you don't want any facts anyway!
          I use Mitt Phoney's face as a urinal target in my bathroom stool anyway! That's what I think of your Socialist!

        • AlbertstheMan

          Nice misuse of the english language in your reply! You just outed your self as a fa99ot & an anger hate filled individual.
          I cut pictures of Obongo out of magazines and newspapers and wipe my AZZ with them whenever I take a dump. More intelligence is flushed each time than you ever possessed.
          Suprised you had time to reply because I thought you would be BZ all day in a lip lock with your fa99ot boyfriend down at the chic-fil-A!

          I hate to lower myself to a moron's level but I try to help when I can by pointing out your shortcomings. Pun intended

          Is English your 1st language because obviously you never studied grammar.

        • jazzpast

          Your fag and gay imagination is getting the better of you. And getting kind of old too. And then you even steal my words. Your not lowering yourself to a moron's level your there. What a pathetic person you are. So this must be the mormon plan for America divide and conquer with HATE! Exactly what this country doesn't need.

        • AlbertstheMan

          Need to brush up on your grammar, sentence structure, dictation, (pun intended), before you reply to me to avoid having me point our your faults.

          Just trying to help you become a better person...

        • jazzpast

          Maybe you just can't read. Your an obsequious deluded buffoon! Piss off! Boy!

        • AlbertstheMan

          Jizpus aka Venereal Disease

          Obsequious; Wow, pretty big word for a moron!! Means following and doing everything you are told to do.

          Hey, keep up the good work & you might move up the scale from moron to dullard!!

          Should use "You're" instead or your

          Like I said, just pointing out your mistakes so you realize that you are a moron and take corrective steps. !st step would be to keep your mouth shut and not letting the world know what a moron you are.

          Again, just trying to help you become a better person!!

        • jazzpast

          Ha, ha, ha! You had to look the word up. What a Dum AZZ!

        • AlbertstheMan

          Jizpus AKA Venereal Disease
          Knew the words meaning already but felt I should instruct you on it's proper usage.

          "Dum" should be spelled "Dumb"

          Just trying to help make a better person of you....

        • jazzpast

          Don't post on me anymore. Boy.

        • AlbertstheMan

          Venereal Disease aka JISPUS
          That Avatar of you shows you are a lying Mooslim. It looks like a picture of you saluting your Fuher: Heil Obongo!!

          Just trying to help you advance from moron to an elevated dullard!!

        • AlbertstheMan

          I love to slap around a moronic liberal troll?

          Go back to the circle jerk your buddies are having at Chick-Fil-A and you can do a lip lock all day...

        • jazzpast

          You have nothing to say, but your attacking me. That makes you the TROLL! Your an evil person! Of course all the people supporting your RINO Socialist are horrible people. I'll never support your Socialist Messiah Mitt Romney! Romney is a deciever, that's loose with the facts,__ and LIES about LYING. Your worse than the people in the White House now. We certainly don't need your type running this country. People like you are really scarey.

        • AlbertstheMan

          Jizpus aka Venereal Disease

          Please look up socialist and tell me how that applies to the Republican Party.

          It might help you if you would get up off your hands and knees and tighten your anal sphincter because you are in danger of loosing your last two brain cells.

          We are in trouble as a country because morons like you can vote.

          I am not for abortion but you are one of the best examples of why it should have been available to your help poor mother.

          Just trying to help...

        • jazzpast

          Your not a Republican. Your an establishment FAKE Republican. Mitt Romney isn't a conservative, Christian or Republican never was. Your just a part of the New Romney CULT! Your a Romney Zombie!
          Your mother is like a gun, two cocks and she's ready.

        • AlbertstheMan

          Jispus aka Venereal Disease
          Obviously, English is not your 1st language and grammar is also beyond your mental capacity but I will try to help you up out of your ignorant state.

          "Your" is very bad grammar ie should be "you're" which is a hyphenated form of "you are" and is what you are trying to say in the sentence structure you used.

          I learned that in 6th or 7th grade grammar but you probably didn't make it past the 3rd grade as evidenced by your 3rd grade attempts at a put down and references to my mother.
          If your mother comes down to the basement and catches you using the type of language in your posts, she will wash your mouth out with soap!!

          I am not really a Romney fan but anything but Obongo.

          Some people have called Obongo a messiah and I somewhat agree with them. I never thought it was humanly possible to make Hillary Clinton look good but Obongo did it..........

        • jazzpast

          May I add your an evil person. Please don't post on me anymore.

        • AlbertstheMan

          Don't reply to my posts with stupidity and liboturd trolling posts and I won't point out what a moron you are!! Fair enough?

        • jazzpast

          Everyone can see your the TROLL!

        • AlbertstheMan

          Jispus: Excuse Me?

      • winki

        I didn't realize this article was about whether or not Romney pays his taxes. I thought it was about our athletes having to pay taxes on their medal winnings.
        Regardless of what the press says unless you actually look at his tax returns, which he has to file whether he pays anything or not, then you don't know for certain whether or not he pays any tax.

        • jazzpast

          They are going to force your Socialist RINO Romney to show he has paid his tax up. It's being said that he is a tax felon.

        • Louis King

          WRONG. Reid is saying that, and he is a liar, just like Jazzpast appears to be.

        • jazzpast

          WRONG. I'm just reporting what I saw on Shaun Hannity on FOX NEWS.

        • winki

          Do you know about the old saying, "Don't believe anything you read and only half of what you hear"? Did Reid look at Romney's tax returns? So how does he know?
          And once again this is about the MEDAL WINNERS paying taxes. Not
          whether or not Romney paid his.

        • jazzpast

          Mitt Romney's tax mess is on every news channel including the radio and FOX NEWS. If you want to live in a cocoon while the world passes you by Enjoy. And once again, my first post was why should the Olympians pay taxes when Mitt the TWIT hasn't paid his in ten years.

        • auhunter

          How about the 100 or so in the Obama administration that owe 11 million dollars in back taxes. that CAN NOT be forced to pay them now while in office, and probably won't after they get out of office.

        • jazzpast

          I have no idea what your talking about. I was repeating what I heard on Shaun Hannity on FOX NEWS. Romney and his tax mess is on every news channel including the radio news.
          Why should Olympians pay tax when RINO Romney doesn't pay his taxes.

      • wffox

        Jazzy, what a whiney mis-inform wimp! There is absolutley NO proof of whjat you are saying! "Repeat a lie often enough and you convince people it's true." You did not comment on the article but just repeated the talking points of the worried whiney Liberals, scared to death about the coming election and the demise of Mr Obama. Get a real Life !

        • jazzpast

          You people supporting RINO Romney. It's like watching the blind following the blind to the ditch. Ha, ha, ha!

        • jazzpast

          I repeated what's in the news including, FOX NEWS! Romney is just as whiney. I don't think anyones scared of your Socialist TWIT RINO Romney! He is LOSING in every state. Your Massachusetts RINO, establishment, FLIP-FLOPPING, PHONEY really makes me want to PUKE!

  • Sam

    NO..Do not tax any medals, monies, or honorariums received by Olympic athletes.

  • Foster Ryan

    These young people work hard training for years to even qualify for the olympic team. They definately should not be taxed in any way. Our country gains prestige as do the athletes. God bless them all and our country.

  • dean

    If they are taxed they need to be abke to write off all expenses including foregoing employment in order to train. Somebody had to pay for the training.

  • Gloria Wedemeyer

    Absolutely not. They have spent years and years on this trailing and if they were paid by the hour, it would be a pittance and of course, when you make very little, you pay no taxes.
    I also don't believe in any inheritance tax, as it was already taxed. It wouldn't matter how much taxes anyone pays, the government would find some way to waste it.


    Heck yea they ought to be taxed!! What's a few more bucks when these kids are so heavily in national debt they will never pay it off in their lifetime(ect.)....I wonder if they know about the death tax too?
    Nobody get nuth'n until the government get paid......

  • Gman

    No. Just shows how greedy the government and IRS is.


    Every single politian in D.C. is a complete Dumb A$$, especially the one who thought up this new tax. They all need to be expelled from their official offices in November and replaced with the common working man who earns money and pays all the taxes.
    I suggest that we start by expelling the POTUS today and those who are up for re-election in November tomarrow. The ones who are left will have a choice to make on the next day, leave of you own free will or be carried out and thrown in the street in front of the first moving truck.
    Then we appoint new ones from the working class of this country the next day, and tell them when they are sworn into office, that if they choose the corrupt route like those of yesterday they to will be expelled and thrown in front of the first moving truck within 180 days, so choose the correct path or else your out of here.

  • jdsusumu

    Yes... we tax our fighting men and women for their pay when they go to possibly die for our country. Why shouldn't we do it for the atheletes who are wined and dined? They get cash on top of the awards and so the taxes are for cash gifts. I would have to pay for a cash gift even though I stuck my butt on the line as a US Marine with very little pay.


      No jdsusumu you completely wrong they should not be taxed and neither should our military men and women who fight for this country.
      The taxing policy in this country is completely out of hand and needs to be totally thrown out and rewritten by folks from the common ordiary citizens, rule #1 should be that all politicans should be taxed at 100% on their pay and all perks plus all free travel to and from work paid for by the tax payers.

    • Jerry Robison

      Perhaps tax policy, rules and regulations have changed in the last 40 years, but if I remember correctly, when I served in the Army, the income I earned during the 12 months I served in Vietnam, my income was not taxed at all. I only paid taxes on the portion of my income, such as it was, earned in each part of the calendar years I was not in a war zone of 1970 & 71.

  • jime

    Years of personal sacrifice to pursue and then achieve greatness only to be penalized for the effort. Really? This is an outrage !

  • Tank

    I honestly don't get what the big deal is here... Does it count as income? YES. It gets taxed. Endostory... I'm sure they have plenty to write off when they file a return... I understand they make sacrifices to ascend to that level of excellence and that deserves as much respect as humanly possible, but it isn't like they, and their parents, didn't have a choice to follow that path, knowing full well that it is a long, hard, thankless, none paying, road... If I excel at my job of sacrificing my life to a cubicle and get a bonus, that bonus money gets taxed at 48%, so why you crying Olympians?? Besides, how much do they make on Subway commercials, all the gear endorsements, etc. once they reach that stage?? Probably a heck of a lot more than you and I average joe citizens without all of that amazing athletic ability and opportunity to train, practice, travel the world, etc... Let's beat up on the IRS for taxing professional sports players that started playing when they were 5 and have dedicated their lives to the sport, but now make millions for being good enough to get on a team?? How many years did they, and their parents, kill themselves to buy shoes, get to games, doctor bills, trainers, gym equipment, etc.?? Same thing... I'm not fan of the IRS, so don't take me as some IRS cheerleader... I just don't see it as being that unfair when anyone else would pay taxes, and no media outlet would bat an eyelash at it...

  • EruditeMan

    Although I don't believe taxes should be assessed on US Olympic medal winners I think laws that are enacted should be followed literally. The Income Tax regulation is asinine & should be abolished in favor of a straight consumption tax similar to a sales tax (note I did not label it IRS Law because I don't find any congressional record where this specific tax provision was debated and vote into law by the US Congress). Until enough people get mad and get off their lazy rears to force changes nothing will change.

  • VocalYokel

    They should be taxed (at a rate commensurate with their income) on the honorarium and on the medal only if they sell it.

    While they are great athletes, and a considerable amount of personal discipline and sacrifice goes into their efforts, it is questionable as to whether this is done solely as a means to 'represent' America as it can lead to personal and professional enrichment.

  • WilliamSpires

    Where's your "FAIR SHARE"(your favorite terms for taxpayers") obama ?

  • bmg28

    Hell no, that would take from these wonderful young athletes who have worked & trained hard for years just to give to the big fat spenders in Washington. OB wants more money to spend have his liberals jerks pay the millions in back taxes they never paid


    If Obama wanted to make an executive order the country cound come togather on it would be to exempt olympic competitors from taxes on medals and earnings 'Alot of this could be deducted as expences to get to the olympics and training cost if Obama isn't a man about it.

  • The Scotsman

    Hell NO. The IRS should take a hike on this one. These athletes have worked hard to reach this level in their sport. Taxing them for being selected to participate in the Olimpics, taxing them for winning their event and just general taxation is is a big pile of buffalo bagels. Leave them alone. They earned the medals. IT"S THEIRS and ONLY THEIRS.
    I wonder how many IRS employees change their W2 or 1099 information so the get more money back from the US Government??

  • MO Redneck

    Obummer should be taxed the athletes should not be. Obummer should also be taxed for all the tax money that he has given his supporters, like Soloyrenda (bad spelling)

  • gunblind

    How can you tax for something not earned in the USA? Why not tax all Foreigners for making money in their home country?

  • wdcraftr

    Most of the athletes are amateurs, and have no money...Now they will have to sell their medals to pay the tax. Typical Liberal thinking.
    Let's also tax all campaign contributions the same as the 1% rate...That's somewhere between 50-75%..Also politians are supposed to be temporary volunteers, so lets cut All Pay , and benefits, for Politicians to 0. If there's no reward, except for volunteering, then maybe we'll get rid of the Liberals who are only in it for power and money..

  • barry PO1 USN RET

    So what is the difference? The US taxes retirees on income they have already paid taxes on. Social security included. Neither one is right,

  • samtman

    The law states that if you earn money from any edeveavor you must pay your income tax. If they incure expenses on this trip to London and if it is work related they can deduct that from pre tax income. They folunteered for this gig, no body told them to go there. The law applies to everyone, no matter how altruistic it is.

  • old fart2

    The government should not be paying anybody for their participation, simply anther atttempt to control people.

  • Gordon

    If you tax them..then ALLOW them to deduct the cost of 2-10 yeas of expensive training and then pay them back te difference!

  • Tomtom

    We should pay them for their efforts to represent America.

  • Alan

    I believe that our Olympic athletes make money from every aspect of the Olympics from the endorsements for ads on TV and products that are sold their individual prize for competing is the Medal anything else is profit for them. They pay for nothing, everything is supplied by the USA Olympic committee. I feel they should be taxed for any and all money earned from their performance. Michael Phelps with his 19 Gold medals will have won something in the area of $ 475 thousand dollars to date not to mention all the money from all other earnings from ads and product endorsements. So yes they do need to pay tax on their income...

  • TheGizmo51

    Yes, the same percent as the 1%. Would that be fair?

  • jwright673

    We all have to share the wealth according to the prophet maobama. They might have to sell their medals to pay up. I can hear the IRS beating a trail to their doors already..

  • guest

    It's another theft by our greedy government.

  • deeme

    Yes and these are the same cutthroats that will be in charge of our healthcare..

  • Earth Angel

    Let's tax oblahma and his wife and for spending and spending and spending. There's a not-to-politically-correct saying that fits those two taking up space in the White House. Taxing the Olympians is disgusting and shows the caliber and class level that generates this kind of greed.

  • Earth Angel

    Greedy describes the low class vermin who would even think of taxing representatives/winners of the USA Olympic Sports Teams.

  • Gloria Wedemeyer

    Absolutely not as they have spent many hours and many years perfecting their scale and if you paid them by the hour they have spent, it would be well below the poverty line and we all know they don't pay taxes. I also don't any of my estate when I die should be taxed as It is my money and I have already paid the taxes and should be left to my family and not the government just to waste and spend more.

  • Othello

    THIS IS BS!!!!! Here is a simple way that the American taxpayer can save MILLIONS and BILLIONS a year. Once someone from Congress,NO MATTER WHAT POLITICAL PARTY, they DO NOT GET their hundreds of thousands of dollars for life. They LOOSE IT. They would have to (gulp) GET A JOB! The Congress AND PRESIDENT have to abide by the SAME LAWS they force on us. When they go on vacation, THEY USE THEIR OWN MONEY NOT THE TAXPAYERS!

  • lizaz

    Absolutely NOT!!!! These athletes have spent most of their lives training and preparing for their Olympics...they should not be taxed on the winning funds which come with the medal. Income from endorsements is another's income like you and me have, just from a source derived from their training and accomplishments. Just like if you own a small business or work for wages....but the winnings tied to the medals...NO!!!!

  • John

    Why should these athletes not be taxed? ALL people who derive benefit from living in this glorious country should pay tax for the received benefits. This includes the 'so called poor.'
    The reason they got this chance not to work but play[that is what sport is] is that they live in America.
    What is it about people with some celebrity that think they are special? All people are special in their own particular way. They are made in the image and likeness of God.

  • JohnDavidHanna

    Medal winners get plenty of dough, why shouldn't they pay taxes?
    The value of the metal of course not an assessed value that may not materialize.

  • JiminOC

    YES they should be taxed. The fact that they give everything for years to accomplish their goals means nothing - small buisness owners do the same yet are attacked from every angle.

  • w5dxp

    According to Obama logic, the Olympic medalists were not responsible for their success. Their parents, coaches, governments, and the Olympic infrastructure are responsible for their success. So of course they should donate their medals to the common good.

  • TPS12

    Income is income if they shouldn't pay why should anyone pay?

  • Floyd

    If you felt like you are getting something for your 35% it would be tolerable........... but most of the money is just being pissed away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have turned into one cynical old bas............. , this is all legal theft.

  • Earth Angel

    No, the IRS should not tax our Olympians that reprsent this country with their hard work and dedication. Oh, wait. That's the "old normal." If they were loosers and cry babies they would be compensated with all kinds of free stuff becuase that is the "new normal."

  • Steven

    ANY argument against taxing Olympic athletes for their earnings applies equally well against taxing ANYONE for their earnings. I oppose the INCOME tax entirely.

    Note: For those that didn't read, the tax is on the CASH award that goes with the metal.

    • winki

      Actually they are being taxed on the value of the medal. Go back and add the cash award and the value of the medal. Take 35% of that and that is the tax that is listed.

  • overtaxed and sympathetic

    No, they should not be taxed on their Olympic winnings nor the value of the medal - anything directly afterward that they are paid for sponsorships or appearances (other than in an official capacity representing the US) should of course be taxed like any other income. Maybe they should also be allowed to offset some of the income with the expenses they actually paid themselves directly related to their training.

  • Juan

    Most athletes aren t politically involved and when they get involved tbay just follow what or whoever the dinosaur media is peddling,so they ll see nothing wrong with paying their "fair" share if the media and Hollyweird says so..

  • Richard P.

    When I first heard about the Olympians honoraria being taxed
    and what the percentage was, I was of the same opinion. I thought of all those who sacraficed so much and worked so hard to get to where they are. Also the financial
    burden placed on people like John Orozco & Gabby Douglas, just to name a couple.
    My first inclination was to jump on Facebook and rave about what a travesty it was
    But I thought about it for a while and something came to mind that skewed my opinion.
    It was; professional athletes. I don't recall exactly what year the IOC started to allow
    pro athletes to compete in the olympic games, but they have been doing so for a while
    now. So when I think of Olympians like the men's basketball "Dream Team" who make
    a living (millions of $$) in their sport, the so called "medal tax" seems a little more

  • Bettypearl

    I know, lets take the money from Nancy Pelosi's last airplane ride and pay the taxes for all the American Olympians...sounds good to me!

  • Buckman

    This is the easyst way for the DEMOCRAPS to raise money that they need to spend on their pet projects.

  • AlbertstheMan

    The gubmint givith & the gubmint takith away!! Why Obongo wants everyone dependant on the gubmint!!

  • docmasten

    This is absolutely Un-American. What's next, taxing the Purple Heart & Medal of Honor. Wonder if you know who, paid a 35% tax on his Nobel Prize.

  • jim

    eather no tax for the athleats or no play in the games they simpley can't aford to plar if bing taxed to win

  • Mort Leith

    THIS is the greed of the Socialist State that ODumbo wants to change our country into.....

  • Kaity

    This is horrible. Those athletes worked hard and long for years and had to scrouge & beg for money. The coaches need to live and so must be paid for their time and efforts. The facilites necessary for training are not constructed from nothing the materials & labor & ownership are costly and must be paid for and so must travel & costumes. Nothing is free and the medals are their reward for the all the time, effort, monies poured into training and achieving what they have achieved. It is a REWARD that they have earned and should never have been taxed in the first place. How corrupt can the US Government get is yet
    to be seen. These last 4 years have been the worst in our history.

  • GT Pam

    Well, I have to say I disagree with most of you on this issue. Why is this honorarium any different from the performance bonus I would earn if I exceed my goals for my employer? I work at my craft daily to hone my skills just as they work to reach the top of their profession. And I have to pay taxes on my bonus. Why wouldn't they have to pay taxes on their income as well as you or It? What is different about these people because they are Olympic athletes? And I'm an Olympic junkie as I've been watching every evening.
    What we should be doing is using this as another example of why taxing productivity and achievement is undesirable. We should instead tax consumption while allowing producers /achievers to keep what they have rightfully earned.

  • depaz

    Why not just tax a a lower rate - say the 15% capital gains rate (until that goes back up)? I agree that they put their whole lives into reaching the Olympics, but the men and women fighting in those God-forsaken deserts Iran / Iraq / Afghanistan / Pakistan put their LIVES on the line (the Olympians are pretty much guaranteed they'll come back w/ their lives intact) and THEY have to pay taxes on THEIR earnings. . . . .

  • Burgener

    If we'd switch over to a tax system based on consumption instead of income, we wouldn't be talking about the medals.