Commonwealth Games 2022: Sophie Unwin and pilot Georgia Holt fined after bring denied a medal

It’s fast becoming the unfriendly games in Birmingham after a para-cyclist - denied her bronze medal despite finishing third - was hit with another ridiculous sanction.

Australian athletes competing in Birmingham won’t take home any prizemoney for medalling. Picture: David Ramos/Getty

The English para-cyclist who was controversially not being awarded a Commonwealth Games bronze medal despite finishing third in her event has been fined for publicly protesting the decision.

Sophie Unwin and her pilot Georgia Holt took out what was dubbed as the bronze medal race on the first day of the Commonwealth Games track cycling program at the Lee Valley velodrome in London.

But because there were four competitors – there were five entries but one team pulled out - Commonwealth Games rules stated that they wouldn’t receive a bronze medal.

Unwin and Holt stood in the background with an English flag as Australia’s Jess Gallagher and pilot Caitlin Ward were awarded gold medal.

They later borrowed bronze medals to have their own presentation on the podium, to the huge applause from the crowd.

Sophie Unwin and Georgia Holt of Team England later got their medal moment.

Sophie Unwin and Georgia Holt of Team England celebrate believing they had finished in the medals.

The two wiped away tears as they were loudly applauded.

The Commonwealth Games Federation was investigating the scenario, after Team England appealed to them on Friday night – claiming it was in breach of the push for more inclusivity in the game.

On Saturday Unwin and Holt were fined 200 Swiss francs by the UCI, with England cycling team manager Keith Reynolds also copping the fine.

The UCI said the fine was for “failure to respect the instructions of the commissaire/organiser”.

England are pushing for the medal decision overturned, after believing prior to the race that Unwin and Holt would still get a medal.

The CFG said the policy of not awarding a bronze medal in events with less than five competitors was to “maintain the integrity of the competition”.

“The policy - which was published in January this year - states that only gold and silver medals are awarded where there are only four contestants; and only gold medals where there are only three or two contestants,” a CFG spokesperson said.

“Unfortunately, while the athletes in the women’s tandem B sprint event were informed of this before the race, the scoreboard and results sheet incorrectly indicated that it was a bronze medal race. We apologise to the athletes involved for the inadvertent distress this has caused.”

I’m told Unwin and Holt posed with medals borrowed from England’s team pursuit bronze medal winners.

When the crowd noticed them stood on the podium having their photo taken by team-mates, they were given a huge ovation. https://t.co/0PNyqvB6l5

— Katie Falkingham (@KatieFalkingham) July 29, 2022

$0 FOR GOLD: AUSTRALIA’S EMBARASSING MEDAL SHAME

Eliza Barr

Australia’s Commonwealth Games medal winners will not take home any prizemoney for their success, unlike the nation’s Olympians.

A spokesman for Commonwealth Games Australia confirmed there is no medal incentive scheme for the athletes who come out on top.

Australian Olympians take home $20,000 for a gold medal, $15,000 for a silver and $10,000 for bronze. CGA prefers to spend its resources on investing in sports.

“Instead, (CGA) funds – not government funds – provide significant investment into its member sports and individuals through those sports, as an investment targeting best performance,” the spokesman said.

OPENING CEREMONY RECAP: ENGLAND’S MESSAGE OF INCLUSION

Australian athletes competing in Birmingham won’t take home any prizemoney for medalling. Picture: David Ramos/Getty

The organisation has invested $56m into its performance-based program since 1996. And in the past four years, $11m has gone to member sports preparing for Birmingham, plus an additional $2m boost for competing athletes in the past 18 months.

By contrast, other Commonwealth nations reward individual athletes richly for their success at the Games.

Singaporean athletes will pocket $737 for winning gold, though they are required to invest 50 per cent of their winnings back into their chosen sport.

India’s gold medallists will take home the equivalent of $36,000, along with the equivalent of $18,000 for silver medallists and $13,500 for bronze medallists.

WHAT’S ON? SEE THE FULL COMM GAMES SCHEDULE HERE

After their successes at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, Samoa’s gold medal winning athletes earned up to $20,000 for their triumph.

Scotland’s gold medal winners can take home more than $17,000, with silver medallists in line for $8600 and bronze medallists $3400.

In South Africa, gold medallists earn $4800, with $2100 for silver, $1300 for bronze and an extra cash bonus for the medallists’ coaches.

Like Australia, Jamaica, Canada and England only financially reward their Olympic medallists.