Ultimate Tag host Matt Shirvington reveals executives BANNED him from the show’s obstacle courses  

He’s the second fastest Australian sprinter of all time.

But Matt Shirvington won’t get the chance to show his speed off on his new Channel Seven series, Ultimate Tag.

The former Olympian, 42, told news.com.au on Sunday ahead o the show’s premiere that he had been banned from competing by the show’s producers. 

Scroll down for video 

‘Whenever I stepped foot on one of the obstacles our executive producers would very quickly tell me “Get down off the obstacles,”‘ Matt claimed. 

He revealed the reason for the decree was because ‘they couldn’t afford to have the hosts get injured to slow down the shoot’.

However his co-host Abbey Gelby did have ‘a little jump’ around the obstacle course, the speedster admitted.  

Matt is perhaps best known for his infamous appearance at the 1998 Commonwealth Games where he wore a revealing Lycra outfit.

He previously said the footage of the race was a ‘curse’, but he also joked that it was the ‘greatest moment in my career’. 

‘I have spent a long time trying to forget all of that but I must admit, it does come up from time to time,’ he told The Courier-Mail.

‘Still my best mate’s favourite line when we are out and someone brings it up is, “Just remember, the camera puts on 10 pounds.”‘

Matt finished fourth at the 1998 Games and within three-hundredths of a second off a medal, smashing the Australian 100m record in the process.

Jack Hale has since assumed that mantle.  

Channel Seven’s Ultimate Tag premiers on Sunday from 7pm