Adlington, who won the 400 and 800 metres freestyle at last year's Beijing Olympics when she was still a teenager, claimed she was "humiliated" by the 37-year-old's comments during an episode of BBC 2's satirical show Mock the Week which was broadcast shortly after she claimed her gold medals.

The comic from Glasgow told the audience that Adlington resembled "someone who's looking at themselves in the back of a spoon" and made a reference about her sexual habits.
 

The comment led to 75 complaints from viewers and although the BBC Trust criticised Boyle and agreed that his comment was unfair and offensive it chose not to take any further action.
 

Adlington has now written to the BBC and insisted that its rebuke is no more than "a slap on the wrist" for a comedian whose comment fell "well below the standards of common decency".
 

In her letter she questions the effectiveness of the Trust's disciplinary process and calls for the BBC to take "greater responsibility" of its stars.
 

An unrepentant Boyle, who has since quit Mock the Week, has refused to apologise for his remark.

 

Instead he ridiculed the BBC Trust rulings as worthless and went on to compare Adlington to a beagle.

 

Adlington's manager Rob Woodhouse said: "The BBC needs to take more responsibility for the people it employs to ensure that they uphold the highest of standards.
 

"To say what Frankie Boyle did about Rebecca, a young woman who was only 19 at the time, was disgusting.
 

"It seems that the defence of him from others is that he is a comedian and that's what they do.

 

"But the bottom line is that attacking a young woman like this wasn't funny, it was disgraceful.
 

"It's not acceptable in any form.

 

"It comes down to moral standards.

 

"By giving Frankie Boyle (pictured) a rebuke they fail to discourage others from doing the same in future and that's why we have questioned the BBC Trust's actions.

 

"Frankie Boyle has made it very clear that he doesn't care what the BBC Trust say or do.
 

"Essentially, he was given a slap on the wrist and there are no real implications for him.

 

"For a comedian or any sort of performer, the media is their promotional vehicle.
 

"If the BBC chose to remove the oxygen of publicity and stopped him from appearing in their shows, then maybe that could act as a deterrent.
 

"In this instance the punishment needed to be harsher - it failed to fit the crime.

 

"Frankie Boyle hasn't suffered as a result.

 

"He wasn't sacked, he just chose to quit."

Woodhouse claimed Adlington had never heard of the show and only became aware of Boyle's comments when they were reported in the media following scores of complaints.
 

He said: "Rebecca shook her head in disgust when she heard about this and is trying to put it behind her.

 

"Her family and friends are very upset about what was said."

 

A BBC Trust spokesman said it had received Adlington's letter and would be "considering" it before replying.