Britons fear lack of medals

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

It is hoped the Great Britain team will finish no lower than fourth in the medal table when London hosts the Games in 2012. Preparations for the Beijing Games next year are near completion and Warner admitted to a House of Commons select committee that Britain's medal prospects in athletics were hanging in the balance.

And Warner said: "We have a very thin layer of talent. It doesn't go very deep. We are having to find a pearl inside every oyster."

The Athens medal haul in 2004 was disappointing, despite the outstanding contributions of Dame Kelly Holmes, who won the women's 1,500 and 800metres, and the men's 4x100m relay team, who also struck gold.

Warner, who took over the post in January and has a business background, insisted there were two reasons for this - inadequate leadership within the organisation before his appointment and the lure of more lucrative careers in rival sports.

He said: "There had been poor management of UK Athletics for a number of years. That is what I believe and what I have inherited.

"And then there is the allure of football. If you are a fantastic young 100m runner and you can also kick a ball then you know which sport you are going into."

This had already been borne out by results in the World Championships in Osaka earlier in the year, he told members of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee.

He said: "In Osaka the women did better than the men. It is a reflection of the relative pull of other sports."