Rewarding athletes and clubs

The City of Helsinki rewards athletes from Helsinki in several ways every year. 

In 2019, the City Board decided to approve the following principles for rewarding athletic achievements: 

1. Grants based on international success in sports 

Individual and team athletes living in Helsinki are rewarded in the Olympics and Paralympics or World Championships in Olympic and Paralympic sports as follows: 

Individual sports 
General category 1st place, 2nd place, 3rd place 
Olympics and Paralympics €10,000, €7,500, €5,000 
World Championships (Olympic sports) €7,500, €5,000, €2,500 

Team sports 
General category 1st place, 2nd place, 3rd place, 
Olympics and Paralympics €5,000, €3,750, €2,500 
World Championships (Olympic sports) €3,750, €2,500, €1,250 

The oldest age group of young athletes is rewarded for success in official World Championships in Olympic sports as follows: 

Individual sports 
1st place, 2nd place, 3rd place 
Youth series, oldest age group 
World Championships (Olympic sports) €3,750, €2,500, €1,250 

Team sports 
1st place, 2nd place, 3rd place 
Youth series, oldest age group 
World Championships (Olympic sports) €1,850, €1,250, €750 

Additionally, successful athletes living in Helsinki can be rewarded on a discretionary basis in World Championships in significant sports under the competition system of an international sports federation in the general individual and team sports series for which the international sports federation has appointed the athletes. In such a case, the grant sums for the individual and team sports in the general series World Championships are applied. 

The home municipality of the awardee must be Helsinki at the time of both the achievement and awarding of the prize. Athletes or teams can be awarded only one grant per calendar year. The grant is awarded based on the highest achievement. However, the Helsinki Athlete of the Year prize can be awarded to an athlete who has already been awarded a grant based on international success in sports.  

2. Helsinki Day athletes 

Additionally, athletic achievements are rewarded annually on Helsinki Day by distributing the following recognitions, or grants: 

Helsinki Athlete of the Year €10,000 
Helsinki Sports Club of the Year €5,000 
Young Helsinki Athlete of the Year €2,500 
Helsinki Coach of the Year €2,500 

The home municipality of the awardee must be Helsinki at the time of both the achievement and awarding of the prize. 

These principles are in place as of 1 December 2018. 

Enquiries 

Taina Korell, tel. 09 310 38038, taina.korell@hel.fi 
Minna Rehn, tel. 09 310 36794, minna.rehn@hel.fi