When Missy Franklin returns to Colorado to make the decision whether or not to go pro, a lot of money for a 17-year-old young lady to consider could be on the line. Franklin, who won the backstroke at both 100 and 200 meters as an individual in these Olympics, is set to take home upward of $200,000 in bonus money from the summer games.
But due to a technicality in the way U.S. swimming awards its individual gold medal winners, Franklin's amateur status could be in jeopardy. The U.S. Olympic Committee's standard bonus money Franklin receives has no impact on her amateur status with the NCAA. That amount is at least $50,000.
It's the gold medal backstroke wins which award Franklin $75,000 each that presents the dilemma.
So her decision on whether to turn pro or not could leave a nice 150-grand in the balance. The NCAA has yet to clarify its position on whether or not accepting this money could result in penalties or restrictions on Franklin.
For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For comprehensive coverage of the 2012 London Games, visit SB Nation's Olympics news hub. Stay up to date on the medal count with Sports Illustrated's tracker.