GB united for Olympic football

[Rappy Veteran]

Great Britain are to field football teams at the 2012 Olympics made up of players from England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, the British Olympic Association has announced.

[acnpt]

Doesn't sound like Scotland has agreed to it, at least for now.

[Rappy Veteran]

bit more...

There has been opposition to all-British teams competing in London from every home nation apart from England.

But the British Olympic Association said an "historic agreement" has now been reached.

"It has been a long, six-year journey to get to this point," said BOA chief executive Andy Hunt.

However, the BOA announcement has sparked outrage from the Scottish and Welsh FAs.

Scottish Football Association president George Peat told the Press Association: "I am absolutely astounded that they have put out this statement. I know nothing about any such agreement and we want nothing to do with this tournament."

Welsh FA president Phil Pritchard was equally furious, saying the FA had no right to speak on behalf of the other associations on Olympic matters.

Pritchard told the Press Association: "We are not part of any agreement. The FA have no authority to speak on our behalf - they do not represent Wales whatsoever and that's a fact.

"We have not discussed this at any time recently."

The BOA's statement indicated that all home nations were behind the move to field a GB team made up of players from England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

"The FA has consulted with its partner associations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in developing the player-selection criteria and timeline," read the statement.

"All four associations have received a written assurance from the secretary general of the Federation Internationale de Football Association (Fifa), the international federation for football, that participation in the 2012 Olympic football tournament will in no way compromise their autonomy and independence for other Fifa-sanctioned tournaments, nor will it have any impact on their positions of leadership within the Fifa governance structure."

The last time Britain competed in an Olympic football event was in 1960, when the men's side failed to win a medal in Rome after beating Taiwan 3-2, drawing 1-1 with Italy and losing 4-3 to Brazil.

Team GB has never fielded a women's football team at an Olympics.

[rajputwarrior]

that's retarded... what a ridiculous joke. how the olympics are allowing this is beyond me. Finally gave up on finding your own goalie england?

[acnpt]

Having a debate about it on Talksport. Goughie's got the right idea.

Can't understand the problem over a Team GB, which is only for the Olympics. Hell it'd give some Welsh and Scottish players the opportunity to actually play in a tournament. :whistle:

[rajputwarrior]

^ of course you don't, you are from the UK. Canada, US and Mexico should make a north american team. even the playing field a bit. Eastern europe could have one, central and then western. North Africa should do it. Indian subcontinent team. Australian continent (so them and NZ). Oh yeah, can't forget about Argentina and Brazil coming together...

[mad_onion]

Only countries can field teams for the Olympics. It has to be a British team. The IOC doesnt recognise England, Wales etc. They aren't countries in the normal international sense.

[Rappy Veteran]

Having a debate about it on Talksport. Goughie's got the right idea.

Can't understand the problem over a Team GB, which is only for the Olympics. Hell it'd give some Welsh and Scottish players the opportunity to actually play in a tournament. :whistle:

:rofl:

[-T- Member]

I can only imagine Scotland are protesting as it's highly unlikely any of our players would get picked

[c3ntury]

^ of course you don't, you are from the UK. Canada, US and Mexico should make a north american team. even the playing field a bit. Eastern europe could have one, central and then western. North Africa should do it. Indian subcontinent team. Australian continent (so them and NZ). Oh yeah, can't forget about Argentina and Brazil coming together...

... lolwut? The Olympics recognize Britain, not England, Scotland and Wales.

[Pikey]

I think it's a great idea!

If the Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish don't want to *officially* endorse it , that's up to them .. but I think it would be really petty of them to try and stop any of their players from taking part if chosen!

It's far more likely for the clubs to say 'hands off' .. it's the wrong time of year for a lot of reasons ..

[Rappy Veteran]

Euro 2012 included....going to be a busy time...I bet the players who aren't chosen will go to Olympics

[Farstrider]

^ of course you don't, you are from the UK. Canada, US and Mexico should make a north american team. even the playing field a bit. Eastern europe could have one, central and then western. North Africa should do it. Indian subcontinent team. Australian continent (so them and NZ). Oh yeah, can't forget about Argentina and Brazil coming together...

What a ridiculous statement! The United Kingdom is ONE COUNTRY all the other countries that you mention are countries that happen to be situated close to each other in their given areas! You do know that the United Kingdom comprises of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland!

[rajputwarrior]

What a ridiculous statement! The United Kingdom is ONE COUNTRY all the other countries that you mention are countries that happen to be situated close to each other in their given areas! You do know that the United Kingdom comprises of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland!

no it's not... scotland is it's own country that is A PART of the UK. Same with Wales and England. I would give you a lot of money to go up to a scottsman and tell them they are the same as an englishmen just to see you get punched in the face. The only thing that's ridiculous is that you actually thought what you said was true.

[Farstrider]

no it's not... scotland is it's own country that is A PART of the UK. Same with Wales and England. I would give you a lot of money to go up to a scottsman and tell them they are the same as an englishmen just to see you get punched in the face. The only thing that's ridiculous is that you actually thought what you said was true.

Seriously dude stop talking ****! The UK is one country and that's that! Go learn some geography! Tell me, what's this mystery country called the United Kingdom, that has one government, one currency, same laws etc,etc?? A figment of my imagination?

[Fred Derf Veteran]

no it's not... scotland is it's own country that is A PART of the UK. Same with Wales and England. I would give you a lot of money to go up to a scottsman and tell them they are the same as an englishmen just to see you get punched in the face. The only thing that's ridiculous is that you actually thought what you said was true.

Scotland is a country within the United Kingdom in the same way that Quebec is a nation within Canada.

[thealexweb]

Seriously dude stop talking ****! The UK is one country and that's that! Go learn some geography! Tell me, what's this mystery country called the United Kingdom, that has one government, one currency, same laws etc,etc?? A figment of my imagination?

Legally the UK is made up of four countries, perhaps its you who said do the research -.-

[rajputwarrior]

Seriously dude stop talking ****! The UK is one country and that's that! Go learn some geography! Tell me, what's this mystery country called the United Kingdom, that has one government, one currency, same laws etc,etc?? A figment of my imagination?

Scotland is a country within the United Kingdom in the same way that Quebec is a nation within Canada.

no it's not. you might as well say all of europe is one country under the EU because they all share the same currency... and that argument doesn't even work cause scotland has it's own currency. fastrider, the more you keep talking, the bigger of an asshat you are making yourself look like.

and fred quebec isn't a nation within canada, it's a province within canada.

[Fred Derf Veteran]

and fred quebec isn't a nation within canada, it's a province within canada.

PM says Quebecois form nation within Canada

CTV.ca News Staff

Date: Wed. Nov. 22 2006 11:28 PM ET

Prime Minister Stephen Harper introduced a motion on Wednesday that recognizes the Quebecois constitute a nation within a united Canada, in a surprise move aimed at countering an imminent Bloc Quebecois motion.

...

http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20061122/harper_quebec_061122/

[WelshBluebird]

As for as most people within the UK are concerned, it is a country made up of four separate countries. It may or may not be that way legally, but certainly that is how most people view it as.

And it is indeed how the football side of things are dealt with. The four countries have their own FA's, each running its own leagues and having its own international team. I understand why the FAW, SFA and IFA are worried about the repercussions, but they have had written assurances from FIFA etc, so I really don't see the problem anymore. We have the British and Irish Lions in Rugby, so why not have a similar thing in football?

[Farstrider]

Legally the UK is made up of four countries, perhaps its you who said do the research -.-

Once again, I really do not need a geography lesson from you, I am fully aware of how the UK is made up!

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain) is a sovereign state off the north-western coast of continental Europe. The country includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK that shares a land border with another sovereign state?the Republic of Ireland.

The United Kingdom is a unitary state governed under a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary system, with its seat of government in the capital city of London. It is a country in its own right and consists of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

The point I was trying to make is that during the Olympics Great Britain enter a team that represents Great Britain so it follows that if they enter a football team from all football unions they will represent ONE COUNTRY!!

Also: Great Britain will enter a team if Rugby Sevens gets 2016 Olympic green light!

England, Scotland and Wales will unite to form a Great Britain Sevens side for the 2016 Olympics if the International Rugby Board?s campaign to have the shortened version of the game is accepted by the International Olympic Committee next week.

[rajputwarrior]

PM says Quebecois form nation within Canada

CTV.ca News Staff

Date: Wed. Nov. 22 2006 11:28 PM ET

Prime Minister Stephen Harper introduced a motion on Wednesday that recognizes the Quebecois constitute a nation within a united Canada, in a surprise move aimed at countering an imminent Bloc Quebecois motion.

...

http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20061122/harper_quebec_061122/

did that motion ever pass though? and it's still a province :p get rid of the premier or GTFO. that's just harper talking ish and mentions nothing about that motion actually being passed.

[acnpt]

The IOC only recognises the United Kingdom as a whole, therefore we either have a single GB team or no teams......and in all the other Olympic sports there doesn't seem to be a problem.

The 'nations' are worried about their independence, personally I can't see why/how the hell FIFA would choose to force a Team GB.

[rajputwarrior]

The United Kingdom is a unitary state governed under a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary system, with its seat of government in the capital city of London. It is a country in its own right and consists of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

thanks for clearing that up that scotland, wales, northern ireland and england for four separate countries. looks like you taught yourself some geography.

[Farstrider]

thanks for clearing that up that scotland, wales northern ireland and england for four separate countries. looks like you taught yourself some geography.

You really are being pathetic, you're probably one of those people who think that if you dress like a slut then you stand a better chance of being raped! To argue this with you any further is a joke and if you cannot see the point of my original argument, good luck!