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Don't back British team, says Fifa boss



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Published Date: 09 March 2008
By Richard Elias
FIFA boss, Sepp Blatter, has warned Scotland not to take part in any proposed British team at the 2012 Olympics in London.
The supremo of football's world governing body suggested that any such move could leave the door open for calls for a UK united side in major soccer tournaments, such as the World Cup and European Championships.

Blatter's comments come just days a
fter Lord Coe, chairman of the London Olympic 2012 organising committee, revealed he was trying to persuade Sir Alex Ferguson to manage a British team at the Games.

Blatter was speaking yesterday ahead of the International Football Association Board meeting being held this weekend in Gleneagles.

Asked if he could understand the SFA's reticence for a joint team, he replied: "I can. Absolutely. It is good for the political aspects of the British associations that they keep their different leagues.

"If they say they should have one team for the Olympics then that team should be one of the countries and not one nation."

He continued: "I think when it comes to these Olympics there should be one team from one of the countries playing and not a combination."

Blatter was asked whether, if there was one British team at the 2012 Games, there would be subsequent calls from within Fifa to have one British World Cup team. He replied: "Yeah, yeah. Sure, sure. The best solution for London (in 2012] is that only the English team play. That's the best solution. To make a combined team is not a good idea."

Blatter has already assured the SFA that if they competed as part of a UK team in the 2012 Games that their individual footballing status would not be under threat.

However, senior figures at Hampden Park, along with their counterparts at the Welsh FA, are looking beyond Blatter's reign and believe his reassurance might not hold any weight depending on who, eventually replaces him as Fifa chief.

Calls for a joint British team in 2012 have received the backing of the Secretary of State for Culture, Andy Burnham, who said he saw the idea just as a one-off for the London Games.





The full article contains 365 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 08 March 2008 9:53 PM
  • Source: Scotland On Sunday
  • Location: Scotland
  • Related Topics: London Olympics 2012
 
1

TheTerminator,

09/03/2008 00:14:26
The British Olympic Association should be told where to go, Scotland should keep out of any " British " team.
2

Castaway,

09/03/2008 03:35:30
Scotland could apply to join the Olympic Movement.
Although most National Olympic Committees (NOCs) are from nations, the IOC also recognises independent territories, commonwealths, protectorates and geographical areas.
The following have no seat at the UN but can still send their own team to the Olympic games. American Samoa (U.S.), Aruba (Netherlands), Bermuda (U.K.), British Virgin Islands (U.K.), Cayman Islands (U.K.), Cook Islands (New Zealand), Guam (U.S.), Hong Kong (China), Netherlands Antilles (Netherlands), Palestine, Puerto Rico (U.S.),Taiwan (Chinese Taipei) and the Virgin Islands (U.S.).
3

donald,

glasgow 09/03/2008 08:24:12
Scotland Out of Britain!
4

Freedom for Scotland,

09/03/2008 08:37:53
Secession from Britain now!
5

A Scott,

Glasgow 09/03/2008 08:56:10
Under no circumstances should Scotland have anything to do with a "British" team, which will consist of 1 Scot,1 Welshman, 1 N Irish and the rest (including subs)made up of Englishmen.....
6

Pilrig.,

Livingston 09/03/2008 08:59:30
It should be knocked on the heid now. No doubt the GB Olympic fitba team will happen, but the SFA should steer clear of it, a mile clear.
7

Saul Tyre,

Germany 09/03/2008 09:58:28
Don't back British team, says Fifa boss.

Don't worry, we won't.
8

Jay Kay,

Burntisland 09/03/2008 10:46:02
Its about time England woke up, your on your own guys nobody wants to be apart of Britain any more, lets get shot of this notion once and for all and while were at it get the vote for independance and get shot of this load of sh*ts in Westminster voting themselves a 25k a year pay rise, its sick totally sick I say they let the people of these four countries vote on wether to keep them in their jobs, turn the whole lot out onto their fat ar*es and get a new system of government into power.

Personally I vote for mike Graham of the Peoples Independant republic.
9

Klaus Dubois,

Edinburgh 09/03/2008 11:05:49
Sepp Blater does a fantastic imitation of an African dictator with his rabid pronouncements on global events. Isn't your job to organise a few footie events ? Stop reporting this drivel.
10

JG,

Fife 09/03/2008 12:08:55
Actually I don't think football should be part of the Olympics anyway. Or tennis. Or any other sport where winning an Olympic medal isn't the highest accolade your sport can bring you. The Olympics has become a lumbering monster that is far too costly for most countries to host - wait until after London and I think (unfortunately) you'll see what I mean.
11

Guga II,

Rockall 09/03/2008 13:52:12
#2 Castaway has it right. Scotland should have its own Olympic team. We do not want to have a "British" team with a couple of token Scots, Irish and Welsh.

The sooner we have our independence, the better. Saor Alba.
12

danielrober,

09/03/2008 15:05:17
The only problem with having an open culture and economy is that sometimes people just like to put a kick in for no reasn. I'd say this guy woke up and wanted a moan. So he's picking on Scotland.

No doubt he's also p**so*f that UK football teams are thinking of playing league matches abroad (USA). It will be an absolute gold mine for the UK teams.

Rangers verse Celtic, played in New York, nice.
13

Pilrig.,

Livingston 09/03/2008 15:13:00
12 - re the Sisters appearing in NY. Mebbe they'd do us a favour and stay there.
14

danielrober,

09/03/2008 15:16:29
Wait a momenti've just been talking to my partner.

WHAT THE HECK is a director of international football doingbecoming involved in UK politics?

NOW FIFA hasalready been ivestigated for allagations fraud in Italy and Switzerland. Not tomention personnel associations with junior femal members ofstaff, etc. That is their business though. Why is this guy becoming involved in domestic politics?

This type of behaviour is exactly the danger that presents itsself to the UK/Scotland, that our internal debate is exagerated by others.
15

Richard M,

Scottish Raj 09/03/2008 15:53:49
The fact is, any British football team no matter what its composition, is going to be crap and is not going to win a medal
16

Enigma,

09/03/2008 16:35:40
The Scotbrit Government allow the English nothing else of their own,not even the Olympics, so why the hell does anyone here imagine we`re in any hurry to subsume our team into one that represents Britain?
17

Sanny,

09/03/2008 16:40:29
If we withdraw from the UK Olympic team can we also be excused contributing to the expense of presenting the Olympics in London. After all there is no real benefit to Scotland in this London Centric project. The return of all our contributions thus far would enable us to submit a well trained Scottish team of athletes to the games.

18

Hamish Scott,

09/03/2008 16:42:32
#14
As far as football is concerned Scotland and England are independent countries (the Union is not all-embracing). It should also be said that Sepp Blatter was responding to a question.
19

bill-alba,

Fife 09/03/2008 16:50:05
We will have another election prior to the London olympics so hopefully there wont be a britain far less a british football team.
20

Matt there,

somewhere 09/03/2008 16:56:01
Jay Kay, what makes you think England wants to be a part of Britain? Or that the Welsh want to be a part of Britain?

Britain was a fiction devised by the descendents of the Normans to keep all the people of the British Isles subservient. It's time everyone woke up. Break up "Great" Britain now.
21

Enigma,

09/03/2008 17:04:45
19

Don`t hold your breath
22

bill-alba,

Fife 09/03/2008 17:11:40
#20...because the English FA are all for a british team and I have seen no indication whatsoever that the English do not want to be part of briain..(nb just got back to Scotland after 20 years in england)
#21 We will just have to work a wee bit harder than we did for the recent election.
23

David Thomson,

Livingston 09/03/2008 17:21:33
#19 I'm with you. President Salmond will not allow our Countries status within the footballing world to be dilluted. Hat's off also to Gordon Smith and his stance against the British and their Olympic ideas.
24

Enigma,

09/03/2008 17:25:31
22

If that is the case why do you imagine the British Government dared not lay before the Ebglish people the chance of a devolved Parliament? On the other hand as expressed at the ballot box, I have seen no indication that most Scots wish to leave the Union.

`We will just have to work a wee bit harder than we did for the recent election`. Right, a lot harder!
25

danielrober,

09/03/2008 19:04:59
Look politics aside.

I don't understand why the head of an association of football teams, is telling the Olympic events committiee what it can and can not do. After all you don't have Athletic Associations telling Football Clubs what they can and can't do.

It's Just Silly.

 

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