* yes, but payment after the fact doesn't count.

* "amateaur" meaning independantly wealthy, or supported by patron or state.

It's rare to see a kid from the lowest demographics on the gymnast team unless they've been scouted and picked up by a state or national institute.

Similarly horse racing is about the fastest horse with a certified pedigree.

It's about the bloodline, the trainers, the owners, and not about a Waler that can run four miles into a machine gun nest.

There's a pretty stark contrast between an MLB player making $50M per year and a bobsledder who's promised $100K 20 years after reaching the pinnacle of their sport. Given the total amount of training that an Olympian puts in over their life, even if that $100K is adjusted for inflation it probably works out to less than minimum wage in many states. That's a pretty bad profession IMO.