Team GB to compete at Olympics

June 1, 2009

The home nations have come to an agreement for a football team GB to compete at the 2012 Olympics, with the team being made up entirely of English players.

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland opposed taking part as they didn’t want to threaten their independence but gave the go ahead for England to field a team and this has been approved by Fifa.

“I am happy, they are happy, the IOC is happy, the organising committee is happy and I hope football is happy,” said Fifa president Sepp Blatter.

“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.”

While expressing his delight about Fifa’s approval, secretary of state for culture, media and sport Andy Burnham criticised the rigid stances of the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish authorities.

“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 that team GB,”

“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.”

Fifa also approved a trial to use two extra assistant referees behind the goallines for next season’s Europa League - formerly the UEFA Cup.

The idea has been championed by Uefa president Michel Platini and was tested last year in some European under-19 championship games.

“The International FA Board decided ‘let’s have experiments with two additional assistant referees’ and we were looking where we have can such experiments,” said Blatter. “Now we have found a solution together with Michel Platini and Uefa.”

Blatter also announced that Wada has declared Fifa compliant with its world anti-doping code in all areas, except for one area regarding injured players and when they can resume practising with their clubs.

Blatter had previously been opposed to Wada’s ‘whereabouts’ rule, where players have to provide details of their location for one hour every day of the year.

“I’m so happy that this WADA letter just came now,” said the Swiss.

Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.