Team GB to go ahead - after football deal agreed

England are set to represent Great Britain at the 2012 Olympics in London after an agreement was reached between the four home nations. A joint letter has been sent to Fifa, which has yet to ratify the proposal, saying that Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales would have no involvement whatsoever. But it goes on say that it would not prevent England from fielding a team. The development should see the end of a dispute that has raged since 2005, when London won the right to host the Games.

Football’s world governing body had set a deadline of the end of the month for the four home nations to come to an agreement over Olympic representation. And last-ditch talks between the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish FAs yesterday led to a breakthrough in the long-running saga.

A document has been prepared by the SFA and sent to the other bodies to allow England to represent Great Britain on a one-off basis. But their agreement has already led to one member of Scotland’s Parliament calling for the resignation of the Scottish governing body’s chief executive, Gordon Smith. The Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish had feared their independence in world football would be under threat if they united with England to play a British team at the Olympics. Fifa President Sepp Blatter had given mixed messages, even suggesting that the dispute itself was damaging their position.

I think the English are going to go it alone. But Scotland's stance has not changed. We will not be taking part in Team GB.

The SFA was furious last week with FA chairman Lord Triesman, accusing him of breaking an agreement for the issue to remain confidential until a deal was signed. That led to fears the SFA board meeting on Tuesday would reject any move to allow an Olympic team. However, an agreement was reached amid fears that a continuing row would damage the home nations’ international reputation.

“Fifa had asked us to come to some sort of common decision amongst the four home nations by the end of this week - so that, when the Fifa congress meets next week, this deal was all done and dusted,” said Shorthouse, who said talk of an agreement was still premature.

“We have not been able to come to a common agreement because England want to take part and Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland don’t. Our stance has not changed. We will not be taking part in Team GB. England do want to go ahead. They are under unique pressure with the Olympics being in their home country. The debate is around whether we make a real issue about England going alone. So, over the past week or so, while we have been having discussion with the home nations, we have also been speaking to people around the world and just trying to take the temperature of people and what they think of England fielding a team by themselves. The word that is coming back is that we should let them do that. We have to preserve our independent status as a member of Fifa. We are sticking to our guns.

“I think the English are going to go it alone. We’ll continue our discussions with the home nations and also speak to people at the Fifa congress next week.”