ATHLETICS: Former national cricket coach John Buchanan will chair a wide-ranging Australian Sports Commission review into the troubled state of athletics in Australia.

Buchanan's appointment was confirmed a day after disgraced national team head coach Eric Hollingsworth officially tendered his resignation to Athletics Australia (AA).

Hollingsworth's position became untenable when he publicly lambasted Olympic and world champion Sally Pearson on the eve of her 100m hurdles Commonwealth title defence. He was sent home from Glasgow the following day.

AA has also appointed former head coach Chris Wardlaw to oversee a review of all aspects of the controversial Glasgow campaign.

But it is the ASC probe - similar to one which examined the problems facing swimming after the London Olympics - which will have a greater impact on track and field heading forward to the 2016 Rio Games.

ASC chairman John Wylie said the panel would deliver its report by December.

"While there were some fantastic performances at the recent Commonwealth Games, there are a number of systemic issues facing athletics across high performance, governance and participation that warrant an independent review," Wylie said.

Buchanan was the head coach of the Australian cricket team during the successful era of 1999-2007.

The ASC review will consider many of the problems facing the sport, including the failed merger between AA and Little Athletics.

"Over the past 10 years a number of internal and external reviews (most notably the Elliott Report in 2004) have been undertaken in athletics with recommendations on high performance, administration, governance, athlete pathway and club structure among them," said the ASC in its terms of reference.

"Despite this, the sport is not achieving its potential.

"It is arguable that in a highly competitive sporting marketplace both internationally and within Australia, the sport is struggling to hold its position."

The other members of the ASC review panel are all former athletes - Matt Favier, Melinda Gainsford-Taylor, Lynne William and Mark Bartels.

Favier is also the Australian Institute of Sport director.

AAP