Letter to the British Olympic Association
Press Statement
26th November 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)
Dear Mr Moynihan and Mr Hunt,
GB football team at London 2012
We at the No Team GB campaign are writing to ask your organisation to drop any
plan(s) you have to submit a Great Britain football team at the 2012 Olympics in
London.
It is our view that the formation of such a team would jeopardise the
independent status of the four home nations within F.I.F.A, International
footballs governing body. As you maybe aware, this view is also shared by the
Football Associations of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. F.I.F.A president
Sepp Blatter stated in March this year that entering a Team GB football team
will "....put into question all the privileges that the British associations
have*. These privileges refer to an agreement that currently exists, where
England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales can compete as separate nations
despite the fact that they are not independent countries.
David Taylor, UEFA General Secretary recently explained that FIFA only recognise
independent countries and if there were to be a Team GB at the 2012 Olympics,
the privileges the home nations enjoy would once more be brought into question.
He also explained that there are 208 member Associations within F.I.F.A and any
assurances from any one individual within the organisation should be taken with
*a pinch of salt*.
F.I.F.A. is a democracy and any agreement with regards a GB team at the 2012
Olympics could quite easily be used as a precedent in future by F.I.F.A member
Associations who are determined to see an end to the four home nations competing
on an individual basis.
As you will know football supporters up and down the United Kingdom are very
passionate about following their respective countries and have done so for
decades now. Any threat to this will be resisted in the strongest possible way.
It is our view that no *assurances* can be given by any individual or national
association within F.I.F.A that a GB football team at 2012 would not affect the
individual status of the four home associations. Given this we would ask
you to shelve any plans you have to submit a GB
football team at London 2012.
We wish you all the best with your plans for the Olympics in 2012, however,
please stop medaling with future of our International football teams.
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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