Operation Gold

The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee's Operation Gold awards are designed to reward athletes with a monetary prize for top finishes in a sport’s most competitive senior international competition of the year (i.e. the Olympic/Paralympic Games when applicable or, in non-Games years, a designated world championship, world cup or similar premier event).

The Operation Gold qualifying event for Surfing in 2024 is the Olympic Games in Paris, France. [Please note the Surfing competition for the 2024 Olympic Games will be held at a satellite venue in Teahupo’o, Tahiti, French Polynesia.]

Olympic Sport Payment Schedule:

Place	1st Year of Quad	2nd Year of Quad	3rd Year of Quad	Olympic Games Year (Olympic Games ONLY)
1st	$6,250	$6,250	$7,500	$37,500
2nd	$5,000	$5,000	$6,250	$22,500
3rd	$4,375	$4,375	$5,000	$15,000
4th	$3,750	$3,750	$4,375
5th	$3,125	$3,125	$3,750
6th	$3,125	$3,125	$3,750

In an Olympic Games year, teams and individuals must place in the top-three at the Olympic Games to qualify for an Operation Gold Event Award; multiple Operation Gold Event Awards can be received if an athlete has multiple top-three finishes at the Olympic Games.

In non-Olympic Games years, Operation Gold Awards are limited to one award per athlete in the Term; athletes who qualify for more than one award automatically receive the higher award.

Individuals must finish in one of the top eight places, while teams must finish in one of the top-six places at the qualifying event in a discipline on the program of the Olympic Games to qualify for an Operation Gold Award in a non-Olympic Games year.

For purposes of Operation Gold, a team is defined as three or more athletes (pairs are awarded at the same rate as individual athletes).

Elite Athlete Health Insurance

For 2024, USOPC IMS Surfing is offering EAHI to six (6) surfers - three (3) women and three (3) men - as determined by the following criteria:

The highest ranked three (3) women and three (3) men from the 2023 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT) year-end final ranking.

Athletes must be ranked in the top 20 of the WSL final ranking list to qualify: https://www.worldsurfleague.com/athletes/rankings

The EAHI offer is good for the calendar year, ending on Dec. 31, 2024, and renewed only if the athlete requalifies with the criteria for the following year, which will be published on this page when it is set for 2025.

Athlete Agreement

The Athlete Agreement reflects the agreement signed between the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee and surfing athletes who opt in as a participant.

Dispute Resolution Hearing Procedures

The USOPC has the authority to hear and render decisions on administrative grievances, opportunity to participate complaints and disciplinary actions (other than alleged violations of the SafeSport Code). Click here to access.

USOPC Code of Conduct for Internally Managed Sports

Please click to access.

Surfing Athlete Resources

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