Ivorian Olympic medalists get cash and house rewards from President

The Ivorian government has announced cash and house rewards for its athletes who won medals at the just ended Olympic Games in Brazil.

The president, Alassane Ouattara announced the package at a ceremony to honour all representatives of the west African country to the games. Ivory Coast won two medals in taekwondo, a gold by Cheick Sallah Cisse and a bronze by Ruth Gbagbi.

The presidency announced a 50 million CFA ($85,000) award for Sallah plus a house whiles Ruth got 30 million CFA ($51,000) and a house.

SUGGESTED READING Ivory Coast wins their first ever Olympic gold medal

Two other athletes, sprinters Marie-Josee Ta Lou (100/200m) and Ben Youssef Meite (100m), also got cash sums of 20 million CFA ($34,000) and 10 million CAF ($17,000) respectively.

#prci: Cissé Cheick: 50 millions et une villa.
- Gbagbi Ruth: 30 millions et une villa.
- Ta Lou: 20 millions.
- Ben Youssef 10 millions

— Presidenceci (@Presidenceci) September 5, 2016

The top global cocoa producer won its first ever Olympic gold medal thanks to the efforts of Cheick Sallah Cisse who excelled in the men’s under-80 kilograms taekwondo final.

For his part, president Alassane Ouattara lauded the medalists and the entire Olympic team for their efforts “Thanks to you two Ivory Coast went brilliantly in the inner circle of the medals of the Olympic Games.”

“Dear athletes, this victory is yours but also your country and your federation, I would like to congratulate all the coaches and all those who have represented our country in Rio,” he added.

Whiles speaking at the event, an official of the taekwondo federation noted that “this gold medal is not only the first gold of Ivory Coast, but the first African Taekwondo gold medal.”

The west African nation’s only other previous medal was a silver won by Gabriel Tiacoh in the men’s 400m at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.