2012 football team 'no-brainer'

Published on Wednesday 8 April 2009 18:37

UK Sport's performance director Peter Keen insists the question of whether there should be British football teams at the 2012 Olympics is a "no-brainer".

Speaking as the political wrangles continue between the national federations over the regional make-up any Team GB squad for the Games, he said: "It is our home Olympics – sorry, but it is a no-brainer to me."

The Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish football associations are opposed to a joint squad in case it affects their independent national sides.

England boasts a strong women's team which reached the 2007 World Cup quarter-finals, technically meaning that they had qualified for the Beijing Olympics. But they were not allowed to represent Britain.

Mr Keen said: "For me any vision of success in London is incomplete without being able to believe that a team of women can take to the field at Wembley Stadium and win.

"I think that everybody knows where our hearts and minds are – we want teams to take the field that can win in every event, certainly in football and particularly the women.

"I would challenge anybody to say equally that would not be a good thing."

Former sports minister Richard Caborn has claimed that Britain missed out on a bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics because it did not send a women's football team to the Games.

Mr Caborn spoke to Welsh, Scots and Northern Irish football bosses and FIFA president Sepp Blatter after England women reached the World Cup quarter-finals.

Last month sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe told MPs that a Great Britain football team will play at the 2012 Olympics even if it is made up entirely of English players.