JUST three weeks before the Olympic trials, even by the most generously optimistic interpretation, fewer than a dozen Scottish track and field athletes have even a remote possibility of being selected for the 2012 Games.

Realistic informed analysis would rate the likely final no better than four or five.

Generous optimism? The fact is that just two Scottish athletes have currently achieved Britain's Olympic A standard: Steph Twell and Freya Murray. Despite miraculous recovery from a serious ankle injury last year, Commonwealth bronze medallist Twell is now ranked third in Britain at 5000 metres, while Murray is fourth in the marathon. The marathon team has already been chosen. Murray, second Brit in London, is a reserve, though still nurses Olympic 10k aspirations. She has the European 10k standard, and could achieve the Olympic mark this weekend running for Britain in Spain. Twell needs to improve by 3.59sec to make the grade at 1500m. Performances must have been achieved since April 1 this year.

No other Scot, male or female, boasts an A standard, and only four have the B qualification. A maximum of three A qualified athletes per event can be named, but B standard athletes can be selected only when no UK national has achieved the A standard. In other words, if any of those four Scots hopes to make TeamGB, they must achieve the A standard, be in the top three, and pray that no rival overtakes them. Or that rivals succumb to injury.

Only two Scots: Commonwealth silver medallist Eilidh Child (400m hurdles) and Mark Dry (hammer), have a B standard and rank second in the UK. Child is still 0.42 seconds shy of the 55.50sec A standard required, but Dry, though within arms' length of the 29-year-old Scottish record, still needs to find a daunting 3.28 metres to meet the Olympic requirement.

Lynsey Sharp is third in Britain at 800m, and needs improvement of 0.22 to reach the A mark of 1:59.90. That looks achievable for the Edinburgh law student, but the target is more problematic for the B standard 1500m men: Dave Bishop and Chris O'Hare. They are fourth and fifth in the UK, but remain more than two seconds outside the A standard.

Child has realistic hopes, and has a 4 x 400m safety net. In the relay context it would be foolish to discount Lee McConnell, Scotland's most prolific and consistent championship performer and medallist over the past decade. Yet the Glasgow 400m woman is currently a modest fifth in Britain. Despite a 100% record in three international outings this summer, she is 0.35sec off the B standard, and 1.15 from the A needed for individual selection. However, barring an explosion of outstanding performances, this consumate performer on the big occasion is unlikely to be denied relay selection.

Eilish McColgan has to find 5.09 seconds to book a place in the steeplechase, and could do so in Oslo next week. Second in Britain, but without either the A or B standard, she needs 9min 43sec for the former. US-based Lenny Waite is also less than six seconds away in the 3k 'chase.

In the men's javelin, Scottish record-holder James Campbell has previously achieved the B standard but injury problems suggest he may not compete this year. Commonwealth hurdles silver medallist Chris Baillie is also injured.

It would be a delight to presume that pursuit of Olympic standards heralds a breathtaking Scottish Championships today and tomorrow at Scotstoun.

Yet disturbingly, and frankly mind-blowingly, just a single one of the above-named athletes features on the programme. Mark Dry and hammer rival Andy Frost are entered, but the celebrity turn-out that the athletics public deserves won't be forthcoming.

McConnell v Child v Gemma Nicol (third quickest Scot this year at 400m) would have been a crowd-puller to savour. None will be racing.

One must acknowledge that in Olympic year, priorities are harder to resolve, as athletes compete abroad, chasing performances in higher-level competition and in more favourable climatic conditions. O'Hare, for example, runs the NCAA finals next week.

But if the sport wonders why there is no title sponsor, never mind TV interest, they need look no further. Failure to guarantee the biggest names is a marketing disaster. Injury and collegiate commitments are legitimate reasons, but it should be possible to ensure the presence, quid pro quo, of most lottery-funded athletes.

Truth is, the dearth of star quality penetrates to even more modest levels.

Jade Nimmo has broken the 39-year-old Scottish long jump record this summer, and is fourth in the UK this year, though still 18cms short of the 2012 B standard. She is not entered. Nor is Gregor Maclean, who set new pole vault records outdoors last year and indoors over the winter, nor female counterpart Hen Paxton. Top-ranked 400m man Jamie Bowie is absent, ditto leading long and triple jumper James McLachlan, top shot-putter Daniel Carlin, and this year's fastest 100m hurdler, Gemma Werrett.

Scottishathletics moved their championship date from the European team championship weekend, to avoid it claiming their best athletes. Frustratingly, they still won't be at Scotstoun this weekend.

Chief executive Nigel Holl acknowledges that many like Twell, Murray, Bishop, McConnell, McColgan, Sharp, and Child have wider horizons. "A number of athletes are chasing qualifying standards for the Olympics, European Championships, and World Juniors at meetings elsewhere," he said. "There are individual choices to be made by athletes and coaches and we do understand that it is very significant year and, indeed, time of year.

"We need to recognise fields elsewhere could enable top Scottish athletes to achieve performances that keep aspirations for Olympic selection and other international events alive. We'd love them at Scotstoun; but the whole of Scotland also wants them to qualify for the major events!"

Some are assuredly innocent absentees, but this catalogue is too lengthy to ignore.

If the sport is to capitalise on the 2014 opportunity, it must put something in the shop window. Allegiance to national championships should be fundamental, perhaps even a contractual obligation if an athlete wishes to wear their country's colours.