Obree won the world championship on a home-made bike

Scottish cyclist Graeme Obree has voiced doubts about Glasgow's bid to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Speaking to BBC Scotland, Obree said the funding required to host the games would dent grassroots sport in Scotland and discourage participation.

"I have to be honest and say that I have reservations," said Obree.

"It will spiral out of control cost-wise, the way the Olympics has - what will it cost us, what will it benefit us?"

Interview: Former world hour record holder Graeme Obree

Obree, nicknamed The Flying Scotsman after he broke the hour time trial record on a bicycle he built himself from washing machine parts, was being interviewed for BBC Radio Scotland's Sports Weekly.

He criticised grassroots sport development in Scotland and suggested that Glasgow could end up paying for the Commonwealth Games for a long time to come.

"Not wanting to put a dampener on it, but we are losing playing fields and school grounds are being cut down to put houses on," said Obree.

"There's financial problems and restrictions being put on grassroots sport.

You need playing fields and you need trained people who can actually teach kids correctly and not get injured, and encourage them to do this at the grassroots level Graeme Obree

"�2billion is being removed from grassroots sport training - what effect is that going to have in the long term?

"Why did the Canadians turn it down? Until recently, they were still paying for the 1978 Montreal Olympics.

"With the backdrop of that, the Canadians thought 'do we want to be paying for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in 2026?'."

Obree admitted that the Commonwealth Games would bring global recognition to Glasgow and Scotland, but raised concerns over the ways in which young Scottish people are encouraged to participate in sport.

"It would be a fantastic thing to have all of these people coming from around the Commonwealth to come here.

"It would be a fantastic experience and it would be a great lift for Scotland and a great tourism boon.

"I'm simply raising the question about what it will cost us.

"I think that more has to be done for schools.

"I have two boys at school, and the amount of excerise they undertake in a week and the encouragement they are actually given to be involved in amateur sport clubs is almost nil.

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"I think when kids leave school, they should have an identity with a sport.

"What you need to develop, is a critical mass of kids participating in sport.

"You need facilities, you need schools to be opened after hours.

"You need playing fields and you need trained people who can actually teach kids correctly and not get injured, and encourage them to do this at the grassroots level.

"I only went to a cycling club because I was invited.

"I wasn't going to proactively go to look for a cycling club - kids need people outside to be pro-active for them to encourage them to do this - and that is going to require finance and pro-active effort from politicians.

"The Commonwealth Games is a great thing if it can be used as a springboard for encouraging people to get involved in grassroots sport."