text: who pays for the athletics to go to the olympic games? such as the air fare, stay at the olympic village, food at the olympic village etc not necessarily.  for example, a local girl that graduated from my old high school in 2004 (i grad in 97 so i didn't know her that well), is off to the torino 2006 winter olympics as part of the us luge team (look up erin hamlin).  and they are in charge of their own fundraising to get there.  there are buttons saying go erin for sale, bake sales, donations taken, etc.