For the sake of athletics, the Olympics must not be delayed again

Whatever became of athletics? It’s fallen nearly as far as show jumping and that is a long way. But the world needs athletics: it is the purest sport. Lots of countries can’t row or sail or do equestrianism, tennis or golf. Anyone, anywhere can run, jump and throw.

But where is athletics now? Can you name the fastest man in the world this year over 100m?* Who are the best middle-distance runners?

In the 1970s and 1980s everyone knew the names of countless athletes, domestic and foreign. Sebastian Coe, Steve Ovett, Daley Thompson, Tessa Sanderson, Fatima Whitbread, Steve Cram, Allan Wells and Zola Budd would take on the likes of Carl Lewis, Merlene Ottey, Ed Moses, Marita Koch, FloJo and Yifter the Shifter.

Sometimes the fascination was wondering whether performances were strictly legal, or if the girl lining up in lane five had had a shave that morning. But we all knew about it, talked about it, opined about how good someone was coming off the bend. Coe vs Ovett was as big as Borg vs McEnroe. Tessa vs Fatima wasn’t far behind. When Coe was competing, no one could name a cyclist, but could trot out a score of superstar athletes. Now that he’s running world athletics, we can all name a dozen cyclists, but athletes not so much. It’s not drugs damage; it’s profile. Usain Bolt held the sport together for a decade, but there weren’t many household names. Mo Farah and Jess Ennis were decent support acts.

The athletics season began in earnest at the weekend, in the Diamond League meeting in Gateshead when the brilliant Dina Asher-Smith defied Arctic temperatures and biting winds to see off her rivals in the 100m.