It depends what you mean by "pay". Sports have been around longer than recorded time, and the victor was almost always rewarded somehow.
Because they are specialists in their sport.
Baseball
it depends on which college and which sport
yes they should because they work really hard and they deserve to get money to pay to get into the sport they are trying to achieve...
Disk throwing
does athletes get pay for gold record
athletes
Baseball
Football
You have to do the sport your playing and be watched by an elite athlete at the sport.
The Special Olympics does not pay athletes for their participation. Instead, it focuses on providing opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities to engage in sports, promote inclusion, and develop physical fitness and social skills. Athletes participate for the love of the sport, personal development, and the sense of community it fosters.
Football