money for gold???

Check out this story on the money countries offer their Olympic medal winners. Call me naive but I was shocked at the amount of money some athletes get when they win.

"Romania’s champion women gymnasts, who won the team gold, will receive two cars, a free college education and a lifetime of rent courtesy of the government along with their hefty $50,000 bonuses. In a country where the average monthly take-home pay is just $170, that’s wealth most Romanians can only dream of."

No wonder those little girls were so happy when they won. U.S. athletes only get $25,000 for gold, but Phelps isn't hurting thanks to the million-dollar payday he receives from sponsors like Speedo and Visa best Romania's GDP

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5747929/