British Olympic football team would not jeopardise the international status of the home nations, it is claimed.
Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy has gained assurances from Fifa that a one-off under-23squad in 2012 would not impact on the home teams' standings.
The football governing bodies of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all oppose a Great Britain team.
And you probably know the rest:
First Minister Alex Salmond described Fifa's assurances over a Team GB in 2012 as "daft".
It's not the assurance which is daft, it's the fact that everybody is getting so worked up over a matter which can't be decided, ratified or whatever you want to call it, until FIFA meets in Japan (and I think it's actually january rather than December as the article states):
A FIFA meeting takes place in Japan next month when the backers of Team GB, which include Prime Minister Gordon Brown, hope the idea will be ratified.
Should we not all wait until that decision comes through?
4 comments:
Problem is O'Neill, nothing can be guaranteed even then. Only the Congress can change our status. not the Executive. And if Congress votes in Japan to reassure us then they can just as easily vote in 2013 to change their mind.
Problem is O'Neill, nothing can be guaranteed even then.
Not really, if the answer is what the IFA, SFA and WFA want to hear, then the whole thing is dead in the water.
Apart from that, there has been constant resentment for years, especially amongst the CONCAOF(sic?) countries that the UK has 4 teams; the innumerable new teams that sprung up in Europe and the old USSR since 1990 has kind of diluted the argument, but the resentment is still there. Whether the UK has a team in the Olympics are not, won't change that fact either way.
Couple of other pertinent factors; first Fifa itself said in 2005 that, as host nation, Britain had to enter teams in the 2012 Games.
Secondly, England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup. Those two point work against each other- it's a contradiction, England, as an individual country, getting the World Cup, whilst the UK as a whole is allowed (forced) to enter a team for the 2012 Olympics. I'm guessing the diplomatic solution will be a Home Nations tournament with the winner representing the UK (as suggested by Cameron)
Or just let England put their players into the Team GB without the other nationalities - that will negate the risk of other countries joining the CONCAF's opinion and will be a sop to the BOA and Gordorn Brown to get their football team.
Everyone lives happily ever after.
Or just let England put their players into the Team GB without the other nationalities - that will negate the risk of other countries joining the CONCAF's opinion and will be a sop to the BOA and Gordorn Brown to get their football team
As reigning British Champions (we won the last one back in 85), my answer to that is "no"!! If they want to represent the Uk then let them win it in a tourni!!
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