MSPs hit back at Smith in 2012 row

Published on Thursday 5 March 2009 21:53

MSPs have hit out at Scottish Football Association chief Gordon Smith after he warned them to stay out of a debate over a British Olympic team.

Smith said he was "extremely concerned" at a move by Holyrood's Public Petitions Committee. But the committee's convener, Labour MSP Frank McAveety, accused Smith of misunderstanding the function of the committee. And SNP MSP Christine Grahame, who spoke on the issue at a meeting of the committee, said she had asked to meet Smith several times but had been refused.

The row broke out after the committee agreed on Tuesday to write to Fifa and other governing bodies to seek clarification on their position on the prospect of a unified UK team taking part in 2012. Fifa claims the independence of the four home nations would not be jeopardised by participation in the London Games. However, the SFA has consistently countered they are in no position to give such assurances as Fifa members are free to reject such promises in future years.

Smith said later he was "extremely concerned" at the committee's decision to get involved, saying: "If there is one thing that Fifa dislikes, it is political involvement in football issues."

He also said: "I would have thought that politicians would understand politics better than anyone. As we have made clear again and again it is not the view of the current Fifa members that matters – it is the views of members in the future that will count."

But McAveety said he was "disappointed" by Smith's comments, and that the football chief had failed to understand the purpose of the committee.

He said: "I am sure Gordon Smith and the SFA would welcome the action taken by the Public Petitions committee on Tuesday in writing to Fifa, Uefa and the football associations for Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland to gain a clear public statement from those organisations on how a GB team would impact on the future status of Scotland's international team now and in the future."

Grahame, SNP MSP for South of Scotland region, added: "Keeping quiet on such an important issue, may suit Gordon Browns and Lord Seb Coe, the men behind this GB proposal, but we would be failing in our own duty as elected representatives of the people of Scotland if we did not speak out against it."