Michael Johnson claimed Britain's top sprinters had "lost their hunger" after watching England's 4x100m relay squad blunder embarrassingly in Melbourne.

Mark Lewis-Francis, who was disqualified for false-starting in the 100 metres, failed to take the baton from Marlon Devonish on the final leg and medal hopefuls England crashed out.

Lewis-Francis, Darren Campbell and Devonish were gold-medal winners at the 2004 Athens Olympics (Andy Turner ran the opening leg in Melbourne) but they hit rock bottom in the MCG.

And 400m legend Johnson, summarising for BBC1, insisted that the system which British sprinters come through must be dismantled.

"They (British sprinters) have lost the hunger and it is the sytem which causes them to lose the hunger. The system rewards mediocrity. It rewards Great Britain's best, not the world's best.

"You look at who is going to be next (in British sprinting) and there's nothing. Young athletes come along and show promise but, if they come up through this system, they will go the same way.

"You've got to break the whole thing up and start from scratch. You've got to look at it and say it hasn't worked. Drastic measures are what is needed."

Johnson believes British sprinters are in a comfort zone and a radical overhaul of the current system in place is the only way forward.

"We as American athletes used to be a little envious of the support that British athletes got but that system in Britain, that support that the athletes get, can hurt you at times.

"These athletes have it all - the status, the support - before they have done anything.

"All of those young guys wanted to be a champion when they came into it and now they are satisfied with being a relay gold medallist.

"I competed against Linford Christie and John Regis and they wouldn't have been satisfied with a relay gold medal.

"We also don't hold them accountable enough. In the US you are held accountable when things go wrong but that doesn't happen in Britain.

"You could see Darren's frustration. There can be no more excuses. It is one thing after another."