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Last Updated: Friday, 11 November 2005, 08:22 GMT
No Scots for GB Olympic football
Scotland celebrate a goal in Slovenia
There will be no Scots in the 2012 Olympic team
Plans for a Great Britain football team at the London 2012 Olympics will go ahead without any Scottish involvement.

The Scottish FA ruled out participation but have no objection to the other home nations forming sides for the men's and women's Olympic and Paralympic teams.

England and Northern Ireland are in favour, while the Welsh FA, having initially opposed the idea, are now deciding whether to reconsider.

Once they have made a decision, team selection proposals will be drawn up.

The Scottish FA had been given written assurances by Fifa president Sepp Blatter that taking part in the 2012 Games would not affect their separate identity in world football.

But the Scots fear that Blatter may not be in power in 2012 and his successor may have other views.

An SFA spokesman said: "We are just being entirely consistent with the position we have held for years."

London 2012 organisers had promised the first event of the Games - the opening football match - would kick off at Hampden Park, Glasgow, if the Scots supported the idea of a British team.

The Great Britain team would be limited to players aged under 23 but three overage players would be allowed.

Britain qualify automatically as Olympic hosts.

But it is unlikely there will be a British Olympic football team beyond 2012, because no united British team plays in the European Under-21 Championships, which act as the qualifying tournament.




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