You earned your paycheck. Medals are prizes(gifts). Shouldn’t be taxed. Rubio is a douche, but im with him on this..
It is not the medal, it is the cash they receive, but then again maybe he will come to the rescue of those nine guys that will set down at a poker table in Vegas in October, to play for a prize.
No probably not.
The honoraria is income. That being said, they should then be able to deduct their training expenses, which surely outnumbers the actual winnings.