Scots politicians told to stay out of Olympic football

Members of the Scottish Parliament have been told to stay out of the row over whether there should be a British football team at the 2012 London Olympics.

A Scottish Parliament committee agreed Tuesday to write to world football governing body FIFA to seek clarification on the position of a united UK team taking part in three years’ time.

However, the Scottish Football Association (SFA) and their counterparts in Wales and Northern Ireland remain adamantly opposed to the concept.

They fear the creation of British team would, despite FIFA assurances to the contrary, jeopardise the independent status of the four Home Nations (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) and ultimately lead to the creation of a single UK team for all international football.

The English Football Association, whose players could expect to dominate a British team, are behind plans to field a unified team at the 2012 Games.

SFA chief executive Gordon Smith warned Wednesday that FIFA would not take kindly to political interference, saying: “If there is one thing that FIFA dislikes, it is political involvement in football issues.

“This is something that we would, of course, have told the members of the committee had they sought to ask us our views.

“It is also the case that, if they write to FIFA, then they will undoubtedly get a view that they have no issue with a one-off Team GB competing at the London Olympics.

“However, I would have thought that politicians would understand politics better than anyone,” said Smith, who stressed FIFA could yet change their stance. “As we have made clear again and again it is not the view of the current FIFA members that matters – it is the views of members in the future that will count.

“Again, had we been asked, we would have made this clear.”

Smith said politicians and the British Olympic Association should give up on the idea of a British team.

“Fans are against Team GB, players are against Team GB and three out of four governing bodies are against Team GB.

“It is time that people at Holyrood, Westminster and the BOA stopped treating this issue as a political football and let football govern football.

“For the avoidance of any doubt – Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are resolutely opposed to Team GB.”