That's how the Irish Examiner characterizes the public's sentiment with regards to the Irish Olympians' performances. I'm not sure that many people are really that worried about it.
I'd like the Irish athletes to do better, but I'm not willing to pay more taxes to the privileged few who get to represent the country at the Olympic Games. Funding sports for kids and the general public as an investment in both education and health makes some sense, but giving taxpayer's money to the competitors just so they can take part in the Games is a travesty.
I don't know if the US government funds athletes competing in the Olympics, but I hope not. Most of the development of Olympians takes place at the collegiate level, where the money comes through normal college fund-raising efforts.
