Christine Grahame, an English-born Scottish Nationalist Party member of the Scottish Parliament, who also chairs the Scottish Parliament's Health and Sport Committee, has written to football's global governing body asking them to investigate.

 

The Scottish Football Association (SFA) have stated their firm opposition to a GB football team taking part in the London Olympics, fearing their independence could be threatened - despite FIFA assurances to the contrary.

 

FIFA are opposed to Governmental interference in national football associations and have regularly banned countries from participating in international tournaments where they believe it has happened.

 

Grahame said: "There is no doubt that the British Government has actively conspired with the English Football Association and officials of the British Olympic Association to bring undue and unprecedented pressure on the Scottish Football Association and the other associations in Wales and Northern Ireland.

 

"I have no particular desire to see England 'red-carded' from international competition - but clearly that is the risk being taken by British Ministers and their officials.

 

"Based on the evidence I have seen, I believe the UK Government is involved in political interference that undermines the independence of the Scottish Football Association and is in clear contravention of FIFA rules.

 

"If I were an England fan then I would be furious that the British Government is running this risk, a move that could effectively ban both the English national and English league sides from competing internationally.

 

"Speaking personally, I would love to see the oldest footballing international - between Scotland and England - restarted. But if British Ministers continue to interfere as they have done and England is thrown out by FIFA then that prospect will be gone."

 

A spokesman for the SFA said: "The SFA remains utterly opposed to the concept of a team GB [football team] in the London 2012 Olympics or any other competition.

 

"But we would hope any politicians who share the same concerns as us would raise those concerns with us and we could then pass that on to FIFA."