British Olympians earned an unexpectedly high total of 47 medals at the 2008 Beijing Games, and raised that to 65 at last summer's Olympics, while the equivalent figures for Britain's Paralympians were 102 and 120 medals respectively.

Performances by Britons at the last two Games exceeded expectations, but Steele warns against expecting the total to continue rising at Rio 2016.

"It has been calculated that having home advantage in a Games produces on average a 20 per cent increase in medal performances," he told insidethegames.

"No nation has ever followed up a home Games by taking more medals.

"So to target more British medals than London in Rio is to target something that has never been done before.

"From the EIS point of view we are seeking to offer athletes and coaches the maximum of medical and technical support as they head towards Rio.

"What I would personally like to see in Rio is a broader range of medals in more sports to show it's not just a case of relying on the usual suspects of cycling, rowing and sailing."

Britain's athletes face an uphill task to better their London 2012 medal total at the 2016 Rio Games, the volleyball matches of which will be staged here in the Maracanãzinho Arena

Steele also insisted that he felt "proud" of his actions during his turbulent nine months as chief executive of the Rugby Football Union (RFU) from 2010-2011 before being controversially ousted by the board.

"My time at the RFU was slightly bruising at the time," Steele said.

"But I am very proud of the reforms I began there which have been continued since I left.

"I think [head coach] Stuart Lancaster is doing an excellent job with the England team.

"I think there is a lot more sharpness and commercial acumen in the RFU nowadays, and it is doing a particularly good job in terms of working in partnership with other bodies and organisations.

"In the past some have seen the RFU as being arrogant.

"But I don't think that is the case nowadays.

"I think Ian Ritchie is doing a very good job as the new chief executive, and I am looking forward to watching England do well in the 2015 World Cup.

"Effecting change is different in any environment, especially when you are working in an area where there are a number of vested interests.

"I felt some things were not being done in the right way.

"I knew what I was doing at the RFU was high risk.

"But I will do what I think is right.

"I would rather have gone after a year having made an impact than spend 10 years sitting safely.

"Do I regret the stand I took?

"Definitely not."

John Steele claims he does not regret his short period as chief executive of the Rugby Football Union

A subsequent review into the issue by Jeff Blackett, a High Court judge, concluded that "trust had broken down" within the Union, and that Steele should not have been dismissed by the Board at their meeting on June 9.

"I didn't speak much to the press at the time, so it was fantastic for me to hear that a review chaired by a High Court Judge had concluded as they did," Steele said.

"I did feel vindicated."

Click here to read the full exclusive interview with John Steele.

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October 2012: John Steele - Legacy must take a partnership approach
June 2011: Steele forced out of RFU after Sir Clive Woodward row