The won’t-go-away controversy over new IOC president Kirsty Coventry’s assertion that she is not a proponent of prize money at the Olympics underscores the disconnect — the chasm, really — between the vision of the modern Games as they have been, a chase for glory, and glory only, as memorably depicted in “Chariots of Fire,” and the way they need to evolve to be now, in our 21st century.

Nothing moves without money, and the time has come for the IOC to take the logical (next) steps and, at the least, make sure that athletes who come to the Games get paid (an appearance fee, if you will) and that those who win medals get paid even more. And those who break Olympic or world records? More still.

And, for the sake of all that is decent, at long last give the athletes access to their images.