Chris Spring is a four-time Olympian who’s competed for Canada in bobsled for close to a decade. But for the past four months, he’s received no federal funding due to a dispute over his athlete’s agreement.
“There are some provisions in the athlete agreement that I don’t agree with. And so I don’t want to sign an agreement that I don’t agree with just to get paid,” Spring said.
Athletes are required to sign an agreement with their national sport organization (NSO) to receive federal funding. Each sport writes its own agreement, and so they vary from sport to sport.
The 38-year-old last received an Athletic Assistance Program (or carding) cheque on April 11. He should have been paid about $7,000 since then.
“The athletes don’t get paid [during a dispute], but…
