"British athletics is in its worst state in years - no individual gold medals at last year's European championships and not one Brit in the top six in the world in any event," James writes in a column published in The Observer today.

 

"The forecast for medals at this summer's World Championships looks bleak and London 2012 not much better. Has football's dominance played a part in the demise of British athletics?

 

"Athleticism is now part of the modern game, so you have to wonder how many potential athletes are ending up on the football pitch.

 

"Kids like Theo Walcott - who competed in the 100 metres and 200m - or Aaron Lennon could arguably have challenged as sprinters at London 2012.

 

"And what about middle-distance runners? Matty Taylor covers more than a mile at high speed per game; David Beckham used to run the equivalent of 40 laps of an athletics track each time he turned out for his team.

 

"We'll never know if any of them would have made it, but that's because they were drafted into football so young.

 

"Recruiting young is big business, as everyone searches for the next Wayne Rooney. Eight-year-olds across the country are faced with the choice between football and other sports.

 

"The clubs have a reputation of leaning on kids to drop other commitments - the school football team, track and field, or swimming. Young players are seen as valuable investments, to be protected against injury - and diversion."

 

James, a former youth high jumper and a close friend of former world record holder for the 110m hurdles Colin Jackson, is also critical of the policy targetting elite success in 2012 at the expense of other sports.

 

"The performance-related funding plan aimed at Olympic medal success led to accusations of elitism - as rowing hauled in the cash due to past Olympic medals and athletics had its funding slashed," he writes. 

 

"Now what kind of system is that? You can bet there weren't many people rushing down to Argos to buy rowing gear after Athens 2004.

 

"I have the utmost respect for the rowers' achievements - but is throwing money at success and withdrawing it from areas where we struggle really the way to go? I think not."

 

In a wide-ranging article, James even turns his thoughts to the appointment of UK Athletics' new chairman Ed Warner.

 

"The media have had a field day sledging his sporting credentials, but would he have been any better qualified for the job had he won the thing?" asks James.

 

"Athletics is a business and should be run as such.

 

"The great British public have fallen out of love with athletics.

 

"They're bored of the squabbling, the ever recurring drug scandals, the 'role models' who turn out not to be.

 

"They keep being told there are no medals to look forward to. This is no longer the golden age of athletics. It's time for the sport to wise up and really start to compete."