Glasgowmancity Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 (edited) England & City Women's player Lucy Bronze has just posted this on Facebook & Twitter https://www.facebook.com/LucyBronzeOfficial/posts/604777962997723?_rdr=p So today it is exactly 1 year until the Rio 2016 Olympics officially gets going! Having just played in a monumental women's World Cup, it's a shame to know that because of a disagreement between associations (not the players who actual play the sport or the coaches that pick the teams) there will be no Team GB football team going to the Rio Olympics, male or female.Even though, as a English women's team, we exceeded all expectations by not only by qualifying as 1 of 3 European teams to go to the Olympics, but we actually placed as the highest finishing European team. If it were an Olympics we would have won our nation a spot on the Olympic podium! Yes, I understand that was an English team that qualified, but we qualified on behave of the whole Great British nation.For us players it's not about country divides and politics. For us as players, as female footballers; whether Scottish, Welsh, Irish or English, we simply want the chance to represent OUR nation... In OUR sport! #TeamGBFootball Edited August 5, 2015 by Glasgowmancity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bannannan Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 I would let anyone who wanted to play take part,but does nothing for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glasgowmancity Posted August 5, 2015 Author Share Posted August 5, 2015 I would let anyone who wanted to play take part,but does nothing for me. Not worth the risk to the 4 national teams IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McDange Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 Not just a No Team GB for me, I'd go a step further and say no football at the Olympics. For me, the Olympic Games should be the pinnacle of any sport to be included. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaid Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 Politics aside, a UK team taking part in the Olympics is unfair in sporting terms for the following reason. The qualifying competition for the Women's team for the Olympics is the Women's World Cup and it is the three best European teams that qualify. England were the best European team and so would qualify if they were eligible. As we all know, the UK has four national football associations which compete independently in all football tournaments, in the Olympics, it is the UK that qualifies and there is no UK football association. If, in this case, with England and qualified through the WC and the English team went on to represent the UK at the Olympics then this would be unfair to all the other associations UEFA as the UK would actually have four chances to qualify whereas the other nations only have one. Scotland only missed out on qualification for the finals in a play-off, so its not that far fetched a scenario as people might think. London 2012 of course was a special case as there was no qualification for the host country but under the current qualification format there is no fair way for the UK to take part in the Olympic tournament. Basically England want the rules changed to suit themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glasgowmancity Posted August 5, 2015 Author Share Posted August 5, 2015 Politics aside, a UK team taking part in the Olympics is unfair in sporting terms for the following reason. The qualifying competition for the Women's team for the Olympics is the Women's World Cup and it is the three best European teams that qualify. England were the best European team and so would qualify if they were eligible. As we all know, the UK has four national football associations which compete independently in all football tournaments, in the Olympics, it is the UK that qualifies and there is no UK football association. If, in this case, with England and qualified through the WC and the English team went on to represent the UK at the Olympics then this would be unfair to all the other associations UEFA as the UK would actually have four chances to qualify whereas the other nations only have one. Scotland only missed out on qualification for the finals in a play-off, so its not that far fetched a scenario as people might think. London 2012 of course was a special case as there was no qualification for the host country but under the current qualification format there is no fair way for the UK to take part in the Olympic tournament. Basically England want the rules changed to suit themselves. She actually responded to me asking why it was ok for the Cerebral Palsy team to play in the paralympics, but not the men's/women's team in the olympics. Fortunately it doesn't look like the CP teams are under FIFA, so I managed to give a fairly straight forward answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toepoke Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 Not just a No Team GB for me, I'd go a step further and say no football at the Olympics. For me, the Olympic Games should be the pinnacle of any sport to be included. To be fair to the IOC their tournament has been going on for a lot longer than FIFA's... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveyDenoon Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 (edited) Not just a No Team GB for me, I'd go a step further and say no football at the Olympics. For me, the Olympic Games should be the pinnacle of any sport to be included. Exactly right. For most Olympic sports, the athletes taking part have trained on a four year cycle leading up to the games. This is because in their sport, the Olympics is the pinnacle.Any sport that cannot say the same is true of their participants should not be included in the Olympics. Football, rugby, golf, tennis are just a few examples. Edited August 5, 2015 by DaveyDenoon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mariokempes56 Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 "Yes, I understand that was an English team that qualified, but we qualified on behave of the whole Great British nation." Sorry but thats pish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveyDenoon Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 "Yes, I understand that was an English team that qualified, but we qualified on behave of the whole Great British nation." Sorry but thats pish. Not just any old ordinary run of the mill pish, but complete and utter total pish! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cove_Sheep Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 Kim Little has also been gibbering on about this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaid Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 Kim Little has also been gibbering on about this. She's an even bigger hypocrite as she wants to go to the Olympics off the back of someone else's effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bino's Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 Exactly right. For most Olympic sports, the athletes taking part have trained on a four year cycle leading up to the games. This is because in their sport, the Olympics is the pinnacle. Any sport that cannot say the same is true of their participants should not be included in the Olympics. Football, rugby, golf, tennis are just a few examples. rugby should hopefully benefit from exposure of being at Olympics maybe in golf it could become the 5th major it effectively has in tennis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristolhibby Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 (edited) Exactly right. For most Olympic sports, the athletes taking part have trained on a four year cycle leading up to the games. This is because in their sport, the Olympics is the pinnacle. Any sport that cannot say the same is true of their participants should not be included in the Olympics. Football, rugby, golf, tennis are just a few examples. I reckon this will be Rugby 7s equlivent of the World Cup. So in that instance I'm for it.The GB team effectively becomes the Lions (without the Irish). (Wonder what country Ulster players would opt to play for GB or Republic?) And it looks like GB has three bites of the qualification cherry. "To solve the problem of Great Britain competing as one union in the Olympics and as several in international rugby (England, Wales, Scotland), should one team qualify (England, Wales or Scotland) then Great Britain will be awarded a spot in the Olympic Games. The three British unions agreed in advance of the 201314 men's and women's Sevens World Series that their highest-finishing teams in that season would represent all three unions in the first stage of qualification in both 201415 series. The England men's and women's teams earned the right to represent the British unions in that stage of their respective competitions. The unions will then decide the composition of the Great Britain team. Northern Ireland is part of the Irish Rugby Football Union and the IRFU demanded that Northern Irish players only play for Ireland despite being eligible under IOC rules to compete for Great Britain." Guess that answers my question regarding NI born players. J Edited August 5, 2015 by Bristolhibby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamntg Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 If it means that much to them they should enter the Olympics as England. If Northern Ireland can compete as part of Ireland is any reason England, Scotland and Wales can't compete independently in sports? I'd be up for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristolhibby Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 If it means that much to them they should enter the Olympics as England. If Northern Ireland can compete as part of Ireland is any reason England, Scotland and Wales can't compete independently in sports? I'd be up for it. They can't though. No such country as England, Scotland or Wales, only GB. Ireland is a funny one and has been since before partition. Technically NI atheletes are not from Great Britain. In fact why is it not team UK? J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamntg Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 They can't though. No such country as England, Scotland or Wales, only GB. Ireland is a funny one and has been since before partition. Technically NI atheletes are not from Great Britain. In fact why is it not team UK? J They can do whatever they want. In fact, the SNP should be pushing for sporting independence now. Think I'll suggest it to my MP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest allyc Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 Football has no place at the Olympics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weekevie04 Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 I have no problem with a Team GB. I don't back it, nor do I want to see it, but we can't really complain after September. Sorry, but no voters effectively voted to say Scotland should not be a nation. I find the proud Scots stance against a team GB hypocritical. Cake and eating it. Seriously, what other nations represent themselves for certain sports, yet don't for other things? It's only us, Wales, England NI isn't it? Saying that we should be pushing for sporting independence. Puerto Rico, Taiwan have their own 'independent' sporting teams. What are the rules of competing? Is it to do with having an independent TV network? I think regards Eurovision, I contacted an SNP MEP a few years back (before their majority)and the problem with Scotland sending an entry to that was if I recall right there's no state broadcaster as such. Maybe someone knows more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deecie Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 We do not currently meet the criteria to enter Eurovision. Could not care less about a women's team gb at the Olympics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristolhibby Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 They can do whatever they want. In fact, the SNP should be pushing for sporting independence now. Think I'll suggest it to my MP. But we can't though. I might as well send my own team consisting of me. There is no Scotland in Olympic Athletics. Only GB. J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveyDenoon Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 I have no problem with a Team GB. I don't back it, nor do I want to see it, but we can't really complain after September. Sorry, but no voters effectively voted to say Scotland should not be a nation. I find the proud Scots stance against a team GB hypocritical. Cake and eating it. Seriously, what other nations represent themselves for certain sports, yet don't for other things? It's only us, Wales, England NI isn't it? Saying that we should be pushing for sporting independence. Puerto Rico, Taiwan have their own 'independent' sporting teams. What are the rules of competing? Is it to do with having an independent TV network? I think regards Eurovision, I contacted an SNP MEP a few years back (before their majority)and the problem with Scotland sending an entry to that was if I recall right there's no state broadcaster as such. Maybe someone knows more. It's only hypocritical if you voted No Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamntg Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 But we can't though. I might as well send my own team consisting of me. There is no Scotland in Olympic Athletics. Only GB. J I know that, but why shouldn't there be? Kosovo was recognised last year. Sporting UDI. I think the majority of Scots would support that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glasgowmancity Posted August 6, 2015 Author Share Posted August 6, 2015 I have no problem with a Team GB. I don't back it, nor do I want to see it, but we can't really complain after September. Sorry, but no voters effectively voted to say Scotland should not be a nation. I find the proud Scots stance against a team GB hypocritical. Cake and eating it. Seriously, what other nations represent themselves for certain sports, yet don't for other things? It's only us, Wales, England NI isn't it? Saying that we should be pushing for sporting independence. Puerto Rico, Taiwan have their own 'independent' sporting teams. What are the rules of competing? Is it to do with having an independent TV network? I think regards Eurovision, I contacted an SNP MEP a few years back (before their majority)and the problem with Scotland sending an entry to that was if I recall right there's no state broadcaster as such. Maybe someone knows more. It's only hypocritical if you voted No I don't see how September makes any difference at all tbh. We never voted to change anything in September. Yes it's a bit "having your cake & eating it", but that's down to a happy accident of history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristolhibby Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 I know that, but why shouldn't there be? Kosovo was recognised last year. Sporting UDI. I think the majority of Scots would support that. I get what you are saying, I just don't think there is the appetite. Particularly in Athletics, Cycling, etc. J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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