Olympians from the 1948 Games who missed out on recognition at the time should now be recognised as London prepares to host the global event, a new think tank said last week.

British Future, which recently launched at the Museum of London Docklands with the torch from the 1948 Games, said there should also be a wider celebration of the country’s history.

The body’s director Sunder Katwala said: “Britain should use the Olympic and Jubilee year to know and celebrate its history as well as decide what this year’s Olympics says about Britain in 2012.

“In a special Olympics honours list, all living medallists from 1948 should now be awarded an honour such as an MBE.

“Few have received them. By the time we put the flame out all these forgotten heroes should have been recognised.”

Mr Katwala said the black sprinter McDonald Bailey should also be honoured after he only finished sixth in the 100 metres suffering from laryngitis.

Medalists from 1948 never to be honoured include Dorothy Manley, John Peake, Tommy Godwin and Catherine Gibson.

In the poll commissioned by British Future, Ipsos Mori surveyed more than 2,000 people. It found 44 per cent agreed relations between ethnic groups are better now than they were in 1948, while 74 per cent did not believe Britain was a more polite place.