Canadian tech entrepreneur Sanjay Malaviya has donated $1.2 million to support Team Canada’s Olympic and Paralympic medalists, according to the Canadian Olympic Foundation and the Paralympic Foundation of Canada.
Every Canadian Olympic and Paralympic medal winner from the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics and Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics will receive a $5,000 grant for each medal won. He also will donate $100,000 to the NextGen program which supports future Canadian Olympians and Paralympians.
“Our Olympic and Paralympic athletes have inspired this country and united us during a very difficult time,” Malaviya said in a press release from the Canadian Olympic Committee. “It’s an honor to be able to celebrate their achievements and help them invest in their future.”
Canadian athletes won 50 Olympic medals and 47 Paralympic medals in Tokyo and Beijing, spread among 130 Olympic and 53 Paralympic athletes. The women’s ice hockey and soccer teams both won gold.
Jacquie Ryan, Chief Brand and Commercial Officer of the Canadian Olympic Committee, was overwhelmed by Malaviya’s generosity.
“The gift Malaviya has made is truly remarkable, especially following the challenges Canadian athletes had to face over the past few years,” she said.