All that's gold may not glitter

OLYMPIC GAMES

There are rewards - and rewards - at the Atlanta Olympics if you manage to bring great glory to your country. Some of those who triumph can expect vast riches. Others will be lucky to get a pat on the back.

Here is a breakdown of how some of the competing nations intend to show their appreciation to their gold-medal winners.

Bolivia: "We don't have any money budgeted for prizes but if something amazing happens and somebody wins we will see what we can do."

Cyprus: "Clothing provided for one or two years."

Dominican Republic: "Scholarships and housing because if you give them $10,000 [pounds 6,450) it would just be gone with the wind."

Finland: "A set of knives."

Honduras: "Some sort of a miracle would have to occur for us to win a medal. If we did, we would come up with something really big."

Iran: "All of our medallists would receive a Government order of bravery from the President which involves special privileges as well."

Liechtenstein: "The chances of it happening are minus-zero."

Nicaragua: "We have had great problems just raising the pounds 45,000 needed to physically get our athletes to Atlanta."

Russia: "$50,000" (pounds 33,000).

Singapore: "S710,600" (pounds 500,000).

Syria: "Any Syrian athlete who wins a medal achieves his dream to live in luxury and benefit from the welfare life. He also gets the honour to meet Mr President Hafez-al-Assad, president of the Syrian Arab Republic."

Uruguay: "The only prize our athletes require is the honour of defending the country and the thanks that an athlete deserves for having triumphed."