GB national football team will not perform at the Rio Olympic Games

The Football Association (FA) has rejected the proposal to revive a joint team of the United Kingdom to participate in the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games and has withdrawn men’s and women’s teams’ applications for participation in the 2016 Game.

It should be reminded that earlier, the FA, drawing on support from the British Olympic Association, offered to send a young team made up of players from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to the Games, to give the players experience of top level competition. However, this idea was not supported by any of the above countries.

“The British Olympic Association will not receive permission from FIFA to send the Rio Games GB national team without the consent of all four associations. The last word on this issue belongs to FIFA”, – said FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce.

Joint GB team has performed at the London Olympic Games, but according to the representatives of Football Associations, it was an  isolated case. Prior to this, a joint team had last taken part in the 1972 Games in Munich.

The Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games will be held from 5 to 21 August 2016.