In an interview published today in the Observer Sport Monthly the Londoner said: "No'one's going to ask because of course I'm a drug cheat!

"You know, I took drugs so therefore what opinion can I have?

"I did an interview where I said, 'Athletes should leave the politics to politicians, just get out there and do it.'

"And journalists said, 'He's a drug cheat anyway, what does he know?

"So what do I know?

"'I'm an idiot'."

Christie tested postive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone in 1999.

He was cleared by UK Athletics but the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) overturned the decision and banned him for two years.

Chrsitie always claimed he was not guilty despite the fact that the levels of nandrolone recorded were among the highest ever registered.

He is banned for life by the British Olympic Association from ever having anything to do with a British team at the Games again.

Christie also failed a drugs test at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, where he won the silver medal in the 100m after Canada's Ben Johnson, the original man first across the line was disqualifed following a positive drugs test for drugs and the runner-up Carl Lewis was upgraded to the gold medal.

The Briton then tested positive for the stimulant gingseng after the 200m but was cleared on a split decision after a member of the appeals panel fell asleep and could not be woken up during the marathon disciplinary hearing.

Johnson yesterday cast doubt on Christie's defence.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, he said: "I don't buy into that ginseng thing but I still like Linford."

When his suspension ended in 2001 Sebastian Coe, the chairman of London 2012, launched a bitter attack on Christie.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph in 2001, Coe claimed Christie was "lucky" to escape a drugs ban in 1988 and that officials had appointed him captain of the British team only to "buy some peace" from his "boorish" behaviour.

Christie claimed to be bemused by Coe's claim.

He told Jamie Jackson from Observer Sports Monthly: "It's going back along things, but hey, as close as I sit to you now, that was me and Seb.

"We joked and laughed, so it came as a shock."

There was controversy earlier this year when it was revealed that Christie had been invited by the then London Mayor Ken Livingstone to carry the Olympic torch when it visited London.

The invite was later withdrawn after Greater London Authority officials claimed it had been "a mistake".

Christie, though, claims in the interview with Observer Sport Monthly not to care what people say about him.

He told the magazine: "I'm not saying it doesn't hurt when people lie on you.

"Ninety per cent of people who say shit about me have never met me.

"What you see is what you get, but it doesn't sell newspapers to say that."

Christie is now the founder and owner of Nuff Respect, a management company whose clients include Christine Ohuruogu, the world 400m champion who was banned for a year in 2006 after missing three out-of-competition drugs tests.

A previous client was Dwain Chambers, banned for two years in 2003 after testing positive for a designer anabolic steroid.

He had left Nuff Respect by the time he tested positive.

To read the full Observer Sport Monthly article visit http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/jun/01/athletics.sportinterviews,