Clarke missed out on selection to the British canoe slalom team for the Olympics after a head-to-head duel with Bradley Forbes-Cryans last year.

The canoeists' best two results from the British trials, an International Canoe Federation World Cup in June and the World Championships in September were used to determine the place.

Clarke won the first two races but placed fifth at the World Championships, with Forbes-Cryans finishing one place higher in fourth.

Forbes-Cryans secured the K1 selection due to scoring the highest number of points in the final race, with the two athletes finishing level.

It means Rio 2016 K1 gold medallist Clarke is not currently in line to defend his title at the Tokyo Games, which were delayed to 2021 because of COVID-19.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has guaranteed that athletes and National Olympic Committees (NOC) who have secured quota places at the Games will keep their spots at the rescheduled Olympics.

However, IOC sport director Kit McConnell confirmed last week that in sports such as canoeing, rowing and sailing, the boat is qualified for the Games rather than an individual athlete.

The final decision on which athlete takes the quota place will rest with NOCs.

Clarke has claimed it would be "ridiculous" to use the existing selection process for determining the team for the Games, which will begin on July 23 next year.

"Our selection started with a race in April 2019 and that is two years and four months out from the main event," Clarke told the Daily Mail.

"It is all well and good selecting really early for the Olympics, but two years and four months, I think that is ridiculous.

"The Olympics is such a big thing and it creates huge revenue for our sport should we win medals so, whatever happens, you want to send the best athlete at that moment in time.

"Okay, I was beaten in September and that cost me the Olympic spot.

"But I had a shoulder injury that season and there is nothing to say that if you ran it again it would be the same guy.

"If it is the same guy, he deserves it and he has earned the spot again.

"If you were selected for a World Championships in 2020 and the World Championships didn't run, you wouldn't automatically be selected for a 2021 World Championships.

"There would be a selection again.

"I know the Olympics are a much bigger event, but you've got to provide parity across all the decisions you are making.

"If there wasn't a re-selection, I would have to look at the grounds as to why."

Clarke is currently ranked second in the world rankings for the men's K1 event, behind the Czech Republic's Jiri Prskavec.

Forbes-Cryans is 16th in the standings.

Britain's canoeing team for Tokyo 2020 also contains Mallory Franklin and Kimberley Woods, who will contest the women's C1 and K1 events respectively.

Adam Burgess is due to be Britain's representative in the men's C1 event.

Clarke has admitted there are two sides to the issue, with athletes already named on the team seeking to maintain their places.

The Briton said the decision would rest with British Canoeing and the British Olympic Association.