SOME Olympic athletes have been spotted flogging their freebies online as they look for a cash boost after the games.
Auctions for Samsung flip phones that are given to every athlete have flooded eBay in particular.
Samsung have been the Wireless Communications Equipment partner of the Olympics since the 1998 Winter games in Nagano, Japan.
At the games in Paris, athletes were given goody bags containing an exclusive Galaxy Z Flip6 phone which was kitted out in gold and also bears the Olympics logo.
And while some have kept the phone as a Paris memento or even used the new device, other have opted to sell theirs on eBay.
Searches for Paris or Olympics versions of the flip phone produce a string of results with many being listed as ‘brand new’.
Many of the items are available to bid on for over £1k – with the standard version of the phone usually costing £1,049.
Throughout the games, athletes have taken selfies on the podium using the special edition phones.
The Olympic model is exclusive to athletes and not available for general sale, so many fans have seen buying the phones online as the perfect chance to get their hands on some memorabilia.
As reported by the Evening Standard, Samsung say they have seen a 23 per cent spike in sales of the foldable device.
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James Kitto, the vice president and head of the mobile division at Samsung UK and Ireland, said: “We’re seeing a continued drive for foldables, with Samsung UK taking top spot for Galaxy Z Series sales in Europe. Galaxy Z Fold6 has jumped in popularity by 15 per cent, which demonstrates a local demand for that larger screen experience, accelerated by the unique user cases of Galaxy AI designed specifically for Fold.
“There’s also a positive story for Galaxy Z Flip6, where the 2024 Olympic Edition Z Flip6 can be found in the hands of nearly 17,000 athletes as part of Samsung’s partnership with Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 contributing to a continued increase in consideration and purchase intent for our unique foldable smartphones.”
Athletes’ drive to sell the phones could be seen as a result of underfunding for certain Olympic sports.
Many have taken to side-hustles such as OnlyFans to keep their Olympic hopes alive.
Team GB diving hero Jack Laugher said he has only ever been given £28,000-a-year in funding and sees the site as a way to supplement his income while focusing on training.
And other countries, such as the Philippines have given out cash prizes of over £100,000 and even property to their Olympic gold medallists.
