Christie, the 1992 Olympic and 1993 world 100 metres champion and European record holder, said he wondered whether the athletes have the ability to lead with the pressure.

"In Olympic years there is always loads of pressure and I think the old saying 'England expects' is true: Britain expects," the former gold medallist told Setanta Sports News in an interview at the UK Athletics training camp in South Africa which he is currently attending.

"The athletes are really under a lot of pressure - they can't go out and try certain things, they've always got to be on song every time they go out and I think sometimes that's unfair.

"The attention the media puts the pressure on some of these athletes, you've got to remember they are pretty young, that's unpredictable.

"They have to grow up from being juniors.

"They are now in the senior ranks - they haven't got a couple of years when they can feel their way around.

"They wake up one day and realise they have to go out there and do it. It's tough and it's a lot of pressure."

Christie, who is now following a coaching career, including working with former world junior 100m and 200 champion Christian Malcolm, is banned from attending Beijing in any official capacity with Britain.

That is due to the positive drugs test he sustained for anabolic steroids at the end of his career in 1999.

Under the rules of the British Olympic Association any athlete suspended for a serious drugs offence is automatically banned from any official role at future Games.