Press Statement
15th December 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE USE
JOINT STATEMENT FROM:
The Association of Tartan Army clubs (ATAC - Scotland)
Football Supporters Federation (FSF - England)
Football Supporters Federation Cymru (FSF - Wales) and
Amalgamation of Official NI Fans Clubs (AONISC - Northern Ireland)
The No team GB campaign today welcomed former Scotland manager Craig Brown's
support for a petition, headed by Christine Graham MSP, asking for the
Government and British Olympic Association to end their plans to have a GB
football team at the London 2012 Olympics. We share Mr Brown's concerns that
such a concept would lead to the end of the 4 home nations status as Independent
football nations.
No team GB Spokesman Simon Johnston said "I would urge football supporters up
and down the UK to sign this petition against the formation of a GB football
team in 2012. We have tried to address this matter with the BOA directly and we
have not had the courtesy of a response. They seem to be determined to push
ahead with this idea, at any expense. As FIFA is a democracy, no cast iron
guarantees can be given and any 'assurances' should be treated with a pinch of
salt. It is our view that the formation of such a team will set a dangerous
precedent and could be used by other FIFA members in future to destroy the 4
home nations football teams as we know it. Football fans and authorities through
out the UK should continue to campaign against a GB football team because it
threatens the existence of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales".
Johnston added "We would also like to stress that this is a football matter and
much as we welcome support from the political sector, we would ask politicians
to leave it up to the football authorities.
Michel Platini, UEFA president was quite clear that political 'Interference is
unacceptable' and that UEFA would 'fight attempts by governments to influence
associations'. Given his comments we would ask the British government to leave
this matter to the 4 home associations, 3 of whom are dead against a Team GB".
No team GB understands that this issue will be raised at a meeting of the FIFA
Executive committee on 19th and 20th December in Tokyo by FIFA General Secretary
Jerome Valcke. We would ask FIFA in the strongest possible terms to release a
statement confirming that a GB team at the 2012 would call into question the
status of the 4 home nations football teams and finally put this issue to bed.
Yours in sports
No Team GB
www.noteamgb.com
Spokesman:- Simon Johnston, ATAC - 07967 102588
Other contacts:-
Malcolm Clarke, FSF - 08702 777777
Gary McAllister, AONISC - 07760 233011
Paul Corkery, FSF Cymru - 07903 619654
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