The Tory peer claimed in an interview published in the Daily Telegraph today that it was the way in which the money was spent that was the crucial factor in the British team's success in the Chinese capital.

 

They won 47 medals, including 19 gold, to finish fourth in the overall medals table, the country's best performance ever in a Games outside London.

 

Moynihan said: "Money alone doesn’t deliver medals.

 

"It provides a platform from which top-class athletes with real talent can go for gold.

 

"It is not a matter of throwing money at it.

 

"It is entirely about how it is spent.

 

"The team we sent to China was better resourced, better financed but above all better prepared than at any time for more than 100 years.

 

"It meant the team spirit was at a level I’ve never seen before.

 

"Never have I seen so many silver medallists just gutted at not getting gold.

 

"Normally we Brits are delighted at coming second.

 

"Not this time.

 

"There was a real sense we were out there to win.”

 

Moynihan claimed that the architect of the success was former Conservative Prime Minister John Major who introduced National Lottery funding to Olympic sports but also that Labour's Tony Blair, who succeeded him, was crucial in the team's success.

 

He said: "John Major deserves a gold medal for lottery funding,

 

"Tony Blair deserves a gold medal for a performance that was absolutely critical in landing the Games.

 

"It is up to Gordon Brown now to earn his gold medal by delivering consistent funding and a sports legacy post 2012.

 

"The Games has got to rub off on every kid who enjoys sport.

 

"It needs Government direction and strong financing and a clearly defined business plan against which the Government can be judged.

 

“We need to have consistent, visible funding across sport, in funding new facilities and in maintaining the excellent work Team GB did in Beijing.

 

"This is a highly competitive international market for top coaches, and unless we have visibility over the next four years we will lose those people to competitor nations who are looking to London 2012 to lick their wounds."

 

To read the full article visit http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/olympics/2690812/Lord-Moynihan-You-cant-buy-gold-at-the-2012-British-Olympics.html.