Cuban Government's Meager Reward for Olympic Canoeing Champions

Olympic gold medalist Serguey Torres, who triumphed in canoeing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, has disclosed that the Cuban government rewarded him with a mere 100,000 Cuban pesos—worth approximately $500 at the time—as compensation for his outstanding achievement.

Torres criticized the payment as inadequate and disrespectful for athletes who dedicate years to elite sports.

Speaking candidly on the podcast La Familia Cubana, as reported by Swing Completo, the canoeist from Sancti Spíritus, born in 1987, expressed his dissatisfaction with the financial incentives provided to Cuban athletes and highlighted the disparity between the demands of their commitment and the actual rewards.

"For participating in the Olympics, we were paid $460 for the round trip, and for the Olympic title, 100,000 Cuban pesos. At that time, it equaled $500. I'm not going to lie. There is discomfort about this, and it's a sensitive topic that isn't discussed openly," Torres remarked.

Together with Fernando Dayán Jorge, Torres secured Cuba’s first-ever Olympic gold in canoeing in the C-2 1000 meters event, finishing with an Olympic record time of 3:24.995. Before this victory, Cuba had only achieved three silver medals in the sport, the last one in 2004.

Impact of Monetary Reforms on Athletes

Torres also elaborated on how the 2021 monetary reorganization dismantled the incentives previously offered to elite athletes. Prior to this reform, athletes were awarded 1,000 CUC for a World Championship victory, 2,000 CUC for Pan American Games, and tiered prizes for silver and bronze.

"There was a time when we received 1,000 CUC for winning a World Championship or World Cup, 2,000 for the Pan American Games, 1,000 for silver, and 750 for bronze. But that all changed with the reorganization in 2021," he recalled.

The most significant blow came with the conversion of the lifelong salary that Olympic champions used to receive. Torres explained that his monthly 300 CUC—sufficient for basic needs—was converted at a rate of 1x24 to 7,200 Cuban pesos, a sum that now falls short of covering essential expenses.

"I had a lifelong salary of 300 CUC monthly, which was considerable and covered basic needs. Any Olympic champion could live on that amount. But it was converted to 1x24, and you went from having 300 CUC to 7,200 Cuban pesos. You know what that means today. It's not money. That's the truth. It's not like it used to be," he declared.

Challenges and Desertions in Cuban Canoeing

Torres' statements come at a challenging time for Cuban canoeing. In July 2026, nine out of the 12 members of the Cuban canoeing team defected, and at least one athlete left the delegation during the Santo Domingo 2026 Games.

Fernando Dayán Jorge, Torres' Olympic partner, defected in Mexico in March 2022 and competed in Paris 2024 under the Refugee Olympic Team.

Addressing the human aspect of the issue, Torres didn't shy away from criticizing the system's hypocrisy. "What people want most is for their profession to cover their basic needs, and it's difficult. It might hurt some people's feelings, but it's the truth," he stated, concluding with a straightforward critique: "If you know the cost of living, you understand the reality, and it's somewhat hypocritical not to measure the rules as they should be."