Russia to add prize for Olympic winners

MOSCOW, June 25 (Xinhua) -- A Russian sports official said on Wednesday that the country is to increase prize money for its medal winners at the upcoming Summer Olympics in Beijing.

"We would like to introduce amendments to this order" as the current bonuses are "outdated," RIA Novosti news agency cited Vitaly Mutko, minister of sports, tourism and youth policy.

The current rate for Russian athletes, who win Olympic medals, was set by a presidential order in 1996 and stands at 50,000 U.S. dollars for the gold, 20,000 dollars for silver and 10,000 dollars for bronze.

Some 500 Russian athletes are to attend the Games in China which will be held in the Chinese capital from Aug. 8 to 24. The Russian delegation at the sporting event will total some 900 representatives, he said.

A total of 474 Russian athletes had been accredited as members of the Olympic team and 148 for the following Paralympics.

"We are pinning our hopes on sporting events such as boxing, wrestling, swimming, gymnastics, synchronized swimming, field and track, weightlifting, shooting and fencing," Mutko expressed hope for medals.