Wales mindful of GB football team

Support for 2012 GB team

Wales have given a guarded response to British Olympic officials' plans to field a combined British football team if the 2012 Games are held in London.

The FA of Wales says its position is closer to that of Scotland, who fear a British team could lose the "national identity" of the home nations.

FAW secretary general David Collins said: "We would obviously wish to protect the four British positions.

"We will cross that bridge if London or Paris' Olympic bid is successful."

The Welsh, like the Scots, are worried that a British team would threaten the position of the individual home nations within world football.

That is despite positive responses from Fifa president Sepp Blatter and his predecessor at world football's governing body, Joao Havelange, when the subject was broached with them.

The prospect of a combined team for 2012 is expected to become a serious issue if London wins hosting rights.

London will find out on 6 July whether it has beaten Paris, New York, Madrid and Moscow to host the Games in 2012.

Britain currently has no Olympic football team as England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are all individually recognised by Uefa, European football's ruling body, and Fifa.

For the four football associations to agree to amalgamate for 2012, they would need assurances that there would be no pressure to participate at future tournaments outside the Olympics - such as the World Cup and European Championships - as a GB side.