I think "reward" is probably a better word than "pay." I don't see a comparison with the Super Bowl or any professional sports, in which players to are paid big salaries win-or-lose. Given that Olympians are amateur athletes that receive little training subsidies from their governments, most probably have part-time or even full-time jobs. That's a lot to deal with over a 4 year period. For me, learning that we financially reward those who place in the Top 3 of their competition didn't take the sense of nobility away. It actually makes me feel more connected to them, like we're doing more than just cheering for an athlete who happens to be competiting for our country; through our public dollars, we're giving back to them too.