FIFA Gives Go-Ahead For Great Britain Football Team At 2012 Olympic Games

[geordieloon]

FIFA will allow a team made-up of entirely English players to represent Great Britain at the 2012 Olympic Games in London

England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales had written to FIFA to ask permission for a team made-up entirely of English players be allowed to compete.

FIFA approved the proposal at an executive committee meeting in Nassau on Sunday.

"I am happy, they are happy, the IOC is happy, the organising committee is happy and I hope football is happy," FIFA president Sepp Blatter is quoted as saying by the BBC.

"You have to bring a Great Britain team for the 2012 Olympics in football, and as they are four associations then take one association to be this team."

The football associations in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales feared that they may lose their statuses as individual organisations had they consented to allow players to represent a Great Britain team, so the agreement should please all parties involved.

Apparently, the team will also be made-up of entirely under-21 players, rather than being an under-23 side with a maximum of three members aged 24 and over, as has been the case in recent tournaments.

Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Andy Burnham was pleased with the decision, although he was disappointed that only English players will be selected.

"I think it's very disappointing and actually a bit narrow-minded in some ways that we're just saying young talent from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can't represent team GB," Burnham told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"I understand entirely if Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland don't want to be in any way seen to support the principle of team GB.

"But I think it is very unfair that a young player in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland who would get a call-up to that team, would be threatened with sanctions about joining that team.

"I just feel let's put aside the politics, let's just let sports people make their own decisions and let's put the best British team on home soil."

[The 12th Man]

I think this whole thing is a joke.
It's only a football tournament and the liker of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are turning it into a battle for national identity...CLOWNS

[gb]

What a load of rubbish the first line is and what a lot of sense the last line makes.