Athletes hail arrival of latest Athlete365-Airbnb Athlete Travel Grants as record numbers applied in 2023

More than 4,500 athletes applied to receive a grant in 2023, with the programme helping athletes financially and logistically as they prepare for upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The initiative, a collaborative effort between the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and Worldwide Olympic Partner Airbnb, underscores Athlete365’s commitment to providing tangible support to Olympians, Paralympians, and Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls.

After supporting 500 athletes in 2021 and 2022, the latest round in April 2023 offered 1,000 grants to be used over 12 months across multiple trips, including accommodation for competitions and training camps to support athletes’ qualification efforts for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024. Furthermore, 60 refugee athlete scholarship-holders received the grant in July 2023.

“It is really a gamechanger for me”

Among the athletes to receive a grant was Kenyan hockey player Sam Silong, who was able to use the grant on accommodation close to his team’s training centre.

“I am really grateful for this opportunity as it is really a gamechanger for me,” said the 22-year-old, who previously competed in the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018. “I managed to book a place near our training centre, which really helped me to cut down on transport costs. Generally, the grant has been a blessing to my career as an athlete.”

With Paris 2024 on the horizon, we are seeing an uptick in demand for this programme. In 2023, the number of applications grew by over 40%, and USD 2 million was distributed to 1,000 Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls from 166 countries and 91 (Olympic and Paralympic) sports, with equal distribution to male and female athletes. Since the programme began in 2021, USD 4 million has been distributed.

IOC Athletes’ Commission Chair Emma Terho, OLY, welcomed the impact of the programme, as well as the IOC and Airbnb’s commitment to supporting athletes on their Olympic journey: “The IOC and Airbnb partnership provides tangible assistance to athletes, and is very much welcomed by the community, as seen by the large numbers that apply and benefit from it.” She added:

The new edition, which will award grants worth USD 2,000 to another 1,000 Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, is being launched earlier than initially planned to meet the needs of athletes who are aiming to compete at Paris 2024.

To be eligible for the grant, athletes must be competing under an IOC- or IPC-recognised International Federation in a sport that is on the official sports programme of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 or Milano Cortina 2026. Applications are open from 30 November to 20 December 2023.

Other recipients included Egyptian fencer Mariam Amer, who revealed how grateful she was to receive support on her journey to Paris 2024.

“I don't think people understand just how beneficial it is having a community like Athlete365 supporting the journeys of Olympic athletes,” she said. “I can't begin to explain how much I've benefited from the grant. It has allowed me to organise training camps for myself overseas to better my performance. And because of it I have qualified for Paris 2024 already. I’m forever grateful for this opportunity.”

For Henrietta Armah, who competes in taekwondo for Ghana, receiving the Athlete Travel Grant provided a boost to her performance after she used the funds to cover the costs of accommodation at the African Championships in Abidjan in November.

“I'm overjoyed and honoured to have received the Airbnb Athlete Travel Grant,” she said. “I had a relaxed, stress-free and sound mind during my stay at the continental championships, as I didn't have to worry about how to pay for my accommodation, which usually affects my performance. I have never received such support as an athlete, and it will benefit me greatly, because I will be able to attend more tournaments and training camps to gain experience and points for the Olympic Games. I am extremely grateful to Athlete365, the IOC and Airbnb for their assistance.”

Of the 4,538 applicants, 2,637 were Olympians or Paralympians, with the remainder consisting of elite athletes hoping to compete at the Olympic or Paralympic Games for the first time. Athletes from 166 different countries applied for the Athlete Travel Grant in 2023, with applications being made in 42 different languages, showing the global reach of the programme.

“Athletes are at the heart of our partnership”

Speaking about the importance of supporting athletes as part of their Olympic partnership, Bertrand Burdet, Deputy Director, Airbnb, said: “Not all athletes start with the same opportunities, and this programme is a much-needed boost for many of them. We are proud to support this programme, which will enable 1,000 recipients this year to practise where they want, perform and compete at their best, and pursue their dreams! This new edition is also being launched earlier than initially planned to meet the needs of athletes who will compete at Paris 2024!”

In addition to the Airbnb Athlete Travel Grants, the IOC and IPC's partnership with Airbnb previously resulted in the Airbnb500 travel grant, which was offered to all athletes who competed at the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 and the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. More than 8,500 athletes received the Airbnb500 grant, providing them with a USD 500 Airbnb travel credit to celebrate their accomplishments and use towards unwinding after the Games or pursuing their next goals. This opportunity will be available again for all Olympians and Paralympians at the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024.

The programme also aligns with Olympic Agenda 2020+5, which outlined the IOC’s goal to offer innovative programmes developed in partnership with Worldwide Olympic Partners to increase support to athletes for their sporting and non-sporting careers.