Press Statement
www.NoTeamGB.com
www.twitter.com/NoTeamGB
02/06/2011
FOR IMMEDIATE USE
No Team GB campaign call for an Ethical Decision for the
2012 London Olympics
The ongoing corruption allegations against JS Blatter and his lieutenants at the
very top of the FIFA tree come as no surprise to the No Team GB campaign. For
the past five years we have been questioning the assurances that FIFA
representatives have been making with regards to protecting the independence of
the football teams of the four home nations (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland
and Wales).
FIFA have flip flopped on their views towards a GB football team participating
at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. In March 2008 Mr Blatter stated �If you
start to put together a combined team for the Olympics, the question will
automatically come up that there are four different associations so how can they
play in one team�. This was then contradicted by Jerome Valcke the following
year when he offered assurances that that the four home nations would have their
independent identities protected. This assurance from Mr Valcke was made in
spite of the fact that no individual from FIFA can make this promise on the
basis that it could be altered at any future FIFA congress.
This was the same Jerome Valcke who was sensationally sacked from his Marketing
position at FIFA in 2006 by Mr Blatter after he was found guilty of violating
the negotiation rules with the FIFA sponsor MasterCard after going behind their
back and holding concurrent discussions with VISA. Mr Valcke was then made FIFA
General Secretary in 2007 in yet another flip flop decision by Mr Blatter.
Perhaps Mr Valcke was party to certain information that forced Sepp�s hand to
bring him back into the FIFA family?
Mr Blatter and Mr Valcke are now at the centre of allegations of cheating,
unethical behaviour and corruption. They are in the dock with Jack Warner and
Mohammed Bin Hamman. Meanwhile, FIFA have cleared the unethical charges against
Amos Adamu and Reynald Temarii who were exposed in an article in the Sunday
Times of promising world cup votes for cash.
Lord Coe was the first chairman of the FIFA Ethics committee when he was
appointed to the role in 2006. After the farce of England�s bid to host the 2018
FIFA world cup, it would be interesting to hear Lord Coe�s views on the FIFA
ethics committee and the rules and scope which govern that committee.
In the past few years there have been a number of high profile British citizens
who have been on the receiving end of FIFA surprises (Lord Triesman, Geoff
Thompson, John McBeth, David Cameron, David Beckham, Lord Coe, Prince William to
name a few). Quite how the British Olympic Association and the English Football
Association can continue to propose that a GB Football Team participates at the
2012 London Olympics on the back of FIFA assurances beggars belief.
Tam Ferry, spokesman for No Team GB said, �All along we have
said that FIFA assurances are worthless. Blatter being in denial about FIFA
being in crisis is like the Iraqi Information minister denying the US troops
were anywhere near Baghdad as their tanks drove behind him�
Paul Corkrey, spokesman for No Team GB is also quoted, "Its no surprise to the
Welsh fans that Blatter got 186 votes in his re-election, as to vote against him
would be like Turkeys voting for Christmas"
Can any assurances from FIFA be trusted?
Would you trust these people?
Contact: Tam Ferry � Association of Tartan Army Clubs (07984 510033) or Paul
Corkrey � FSF Cymru (07903 619654)
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