The BIG interview Sir Steve Redgrave Sunday 18 January 2004

In an interview for the BBC's Sunday Grandstand programme, Redgrave said that Great Britain risked losing a gold medal in Athens if they did not.

"Matthew and James have got a serious chance of winning (as a pair)," said the five-time Olympic gold medallist.

"If they go towards the four, I don't think the pair that would come out of that would be good enough to win gold."

Pinsent and Cracknell are arguably rowing's finest oarsmen and won world titles together in 2001 and 2002.

Redgrave believes that if they stay as a pair then both they and the four would have good chances to win at the 2004 Olympics.

"If they don't race in a pair, to me it's like they've run away from a challenge and that's not the people I rowed with and raced with," said Redgrave.

"If Matthew and James do the four, then we're throwing away one medal, and one potential gold medal.

"You would say that the four, with Matthew and James in it - if there's a dead cert - would win.

"But there are no dead certs in this. It's important we win as many gold medals as we can.

"In my eyes, they should be doing the pair."

Redgrave also confirmed his position on drugs in sport.

"We are too lenient on people that have positive tests," said Redgrave.

"If it is without question that it is something they shouldn't have been doing, and they've been proven that that was the case, then it should be a life ban.