Source: FOOTYMAD
Home nations FA deny Olympic claim
The participation of British football teams in the 2012 London Olympics remained unclear on Tuesday evening, despite the British Olympic Association claming a unified team had been agreed. The BOA said footballers from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England will be available for selection for Team GB at the London 2012 Olympic Games.But the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish football associations insisted no agreement had been reached.Jim Boyce, Britain's Fifa vice-president and former president of the Irish FA, said he knew of no agreement."The three associations have made it clear to me they will not be changing their decision about a British Olympic team and I know nothing about any agreement," he said.The BOA had said in their statement that there had been a universal approval of the team.There has been opposition to all-British teams taking part in the Olympic Games from all the home nations apart from England, but the Brisitsh Olympic Association said an agreement has been reached."Consistent with requirements set out in the Olympic Charter, the selection criteria will be entirely non-discriminatory, as players from England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and other territories which fall under the BOA's remit, who meet the approved competitive standard will be eligible for consideration and selection," they said."The FA has consulted with its partner associations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in developing the player-selection criteria and timeline."According to the statement, longlist of players will be drawn up by the managers of the men's and women's teams and they will each be asked to confirm their availability. This will then be reduced to a shortlist and an announcement of the two squads will follow in the summer of 2012.
