so motivation is entirely cash related?
as a sales person commision certainly motivated, but as a dinghy sailor then it was wanting to win.
seems tha the BOC is now acting like a sales manager,setting targets and now paying on results, but is that sport ?

john haydon rowe, javea,

Cash for medals does not help. It is still expensive to get to the olympics in the first place. Only those rich enough to be full-time athletes will be at the olympics while potentially faster, better athletes are working a paying job. Support sport at all levels, if you want more Olympic medals.

Scot Danner, Dubai, UAE

We give athletes bonses for what exactly? The tax payer is funding their lifestyle already. No one is forcing them to go to the olympics, they get all media coverage and paychecks when they are successful. What does the taxpayer get, not even a free ticket to the event.

steve tea, manchester, cheshire

I have loved watching these Olympics, I feel proud dare I say to be British, thankyou team GB. I cannot begin to understand the commitment and hard work of our athletes and competitors.
If footballers get what they get, for a fraction of the commitment shown then I am completely for this.

S Carter, Lincs, uk

Most countries do give cash bonuses, the UK also does for Judo, I believe. Doesn't seem to make a difference to the results, though. Australia, with about 1/3 of the UK's population always seems to get around the same number of medals, irrespective of financial reward.

Amy Collins, Melbourne, Australia

The day of the amateur ended decades ago. The UK was one of the last countries to embrace professionalism, explaining its often dismal medal count. College athletes who often relied on scholarships have never really been amateurs. Who wants to go back to the good old days of no medals.

mike scott, New york, USA

This is a great idea. If we can spend ridiculous amounts of money on useless quangoes and newlab fads then we should certainly spend a relatively small amount supporting our top athletes.

About time we supported success in this country.

Dave, london,

You have no idea of the sacrifice, and hardship it takes to even get to the Olympics, let alone win a medal. Friends, social life all make way for a dream and and ambition. £20k for 4 yrs of training, day and night? Should be more. You can celebrate GB wins in the pub, while I'm still in the pool.

Alex, Ipswich, UK

In reply to Sunderland , "why are these people getting money for doing nothing?" Tens of thousands people in the conuntry are already indulging that, e.g. self-interest politicians, lazy civil servants, PC council and quango employees, genuine or bogus asylum seekers, benefit recipients,........

James Wong, Macau,

"Team GB" have now fully embraced nationalistic mercenary sport. The committed and talented amateur may as well abandon all hope of being involved in the higher levels of almost any sport, pack his bags and clear off, unless of course he/she is a flag waving money grabber.

John Paulson, Frodsham, England

Let's just call it what it is. We are going to bribe our athletes to perform. How typical.

judy, Liverpool, England

So is that amateurs competing??
The olympics were ment for amateurs not for money hungry "professionals".
The "spirit of the olympics" was lost long ago.
Sadly people don't seem to care....
Also, why are these people getting money for doing nothing?
Who else, except them, cares how fast hey are??

D.C.M., Sunderland,

As long as the taxpayers aren't asked to pay....

David B, Larkhall, UK