GB Olympic team will not include Scotland

Plans for a Great Britain football team at the London 2012 Olympics will go ahead without any Scottish involvement, it has been decided.

The Scottish Football Association told a meeting of the four associations in Belfast today that they has ruled out taking any part in any British football team at the games.

However, the Scottish FA said it had no objection to the other 'home nations' forming British representative sides for the men’s and women’s Olympic and Paralympic teams for the 2012 event.

Northern Ireland and England are both in favour of playing GB sides in the London Olympics, and the Welsh FA, having initially being opposed, is now deciding whether to reconsider.

Once they have made a final decision, proposals will then be drawn up about how the teams are to be selected.

The Scottish FA had been given written assurances by FIFA president Sepp Blatter that taking part in the 2012 games would not affect its separate identity in world football, but that has not been enough to persuade it to be involved.

There is a fear in Scotland that Blatter may not be in power in 2012 and his successor may have other views.

London 2012 organisers will not welcome the decision as they had promised the very first event of the games – the first football match – would kick off at Hampden Park if they supported the idea of a British football team.

English FA executive director David Davies would not comment on the decision apart from stating: “This was a decision for the Scottish FA and they have taken it.”