Gold rush: Great Britain were the dominant force in the Velodrome Photo: EPA

France finished 10th in the Beijing medals table with seven golds. GB, on the other hand, were an impressive fourth with 19.

However, Laporte is optimistic of French success at the 2012 Games in London and declared France would not rely on events such as cycling, sailing and rowing for the bulk of their medal success like Team GB.

"Eighty per cent of the medallists will still be up for selection in 2012," said the former France rugby union coach.

"We aren't just going to concentrate our means on four or five sports to bring home the medals, like the British have done."

GB may well have added to their medal tally had there been a football team in Beijing, an idea Prime Minister Gordon Brown is keen to see happen when the Olympics come to London.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has even been been mooted to coach the Great Britain football team in four years time.

However, it has been met with resistance from the FA's of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with Scotland manager George Burley insisting the SFA remain steadfast in their opposition to the idea of a combined Great Britain team.

Burley said: "It's been black and white from day one with the SFA.

"The national team comes first and at the moment we are keen to keep our nationality intact.

"We have to have a national Scottish team and we can't put that in jeopardy so there has been no change."

Burley is also opposed to the idea of a home international competition with the champions representing Britain at the London Games.

He said: "That's all hypothetical. The problem with international games is getting dates for them so it doesn't even come into the equation."