The Football Association are hopeful an agreement can be reached soon.
Daniel Sturridge of Great Britain (R) in action with Seokho Hwang of South Korea
A meeting of the Home Nations took place in Athens on Wednesday as they discussed the possibility of the Team GB football team returning to Olympic Games action in Tokyo. The Football Association are hopeful that an agreement can be reached by the four nations, who have previously refused talks on the matter.
Team GB had been represented by a team in London 2012, storming through the group stage before being knocked out on penalties by South Korea in the quarter finals. After the relative success of that team’s inclusion, The FA had announced its intention to enter a team into the Rio Olympics, but after facing a serious backlash from Scotland, Wales and Ireland, withdrew its application.
The key stumbling block in the past had been the fear that Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland would lose their independent recognition in the eyes of world football governing body, FIFA.
Aaron Ramsey representing Team GB at London 2012
But FA Chief Executive, Martin Glenn, believes this is no longer a concern, stating “FIFA has indicated that it’s not a problem.”
“The big fear in the past was that if we did it we would jeopardise our independent country status. But that was sorted out under [former FIFA president Sepp] Blatter actually and [new president] Gianni Infantino has reinforced it.”
“So that’s not the issue. The issue is the individual interests of each Home Nation.
“There’s a Great Britain interest, of which we’re all part, but does it suit the individual interest of [each] Home Nation? And that’s what we’re going to work through.”
Whilst talks are still in a formative stage, many hold high hopes that an agreement can be reached, and that Great Britain will once again play football on the Olympic stage.
Rio Olympics – Olympic Park
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