Patsy McGonagle, the manager of Ireland's track and field squad in Sydney, has called for a root and branch investigation of the problems besetting Irish athletics. As the programme reaches the halfway point, pertinent questions are already being asked of the performance of the Irish team.

Sonia O'Sullivan's superb silver medal over 5,000 metres has in many ways covered up the otherwise disastrous start to the Games for the Irish - not just in the track and field events. And McGonagle, the public relations officer of Athletics Ireland, said that it behoves all concerned to examine the current structures of the sport as a matter of urgency.

"I believe it's time we adopted some of the recommendations of the Price Waterhouse Commission before the problem becomes even worse," he said. The independent study into the organisation of Irish athletics, which was carried out two years ago, made a number of recommendations, including the implementation of a more structured coaching system.

"Frankly, many of the performances here have been vastly disappointing and unless we address the issues now, it will be no better in Athens in four years' time," said McGonagle.

"And it's not just a question of getting more money. A whole range of measures have to be put in place, like the appointment of a national director of coaching, a chief executive of the association and a support system with which the athletes can feel comfortable." "Essentially, we are speaking of an eight-year plan and it has to be implemented at the earliest opportunity. We simply cannot afford to do nothing after the overall level of performance here."

Remarkably, O'Sullivan is the only Irish athlete to have established a national record in Sydney. Also, only two athletes, O'Sullivan and Peter Coghlan, succeeded in achieving seasonal best performances in a setting conducive to heroics.

Although McGonagle was referring specifically to athletics, his remarks are just as valid in the context of other disciplines. No Irish Olympic team, it is fair to say, has been better prepared in terms of capital investment, with many in full-time training for months before the Games.

Niall Bruton, a competitor over 1500 metres in Atlanta four years ago, agrees with that sentiment. "You really can't blame it on the funding," he said. "A lot of these athletes have been getting £18,000 a year, sometimes even more. We've asked for more funding in the past and got it, so of the Irish athletes in Sydney, I don't think you can say too many of them were underfunded.

"But there is a problem with facilities. I know we have plans for an indoor stadium now but for the sprinters and the throwers there has been a big problem in finding adequate training facilities." One area of preparation that Bruton feels may improve the Irish fortunes is to add a more structured approach to the athletes build-up to major events. "You look at the Spanish or the Italians, or even the Kenyans and Ethiopians, and they get together in national training camps during the year."