A LEADING politician in Cardiff has slammed Sebastian Coe's claim that he remains hopeful the Football Association of Wales can be persuaded to support a united Great Britain football team for the 2012 Olympics. "It's a shame Mr. Coe didn't see fit to respect the FAW's decision, even though he admits that this is a matter for the home federations," said Owen John Thomas, the Welsh Shadow Minister for Sport.

 

"The FAW has not made this decision on a whim. There is, undoubtedly, a feeling amongst football associations of some other countries, especially the up-and-coming nations of Africa and the Caribbean, that the four home nations should field only one team and thus have only one vote on international football matters. Therefore, we cannot put our international football status at risk."

 

Wales last week joined Scotland in announcing that they did want to play any part in a Team GB because of fears they would lose their independence in other events like the World Cup and European Championships.

 

That is despite repeated assurances from Sepp Blatter, the president of FIFA, that due to the special circumstances of the Olympics being held in London he had no plans to strip the four Home Countries of their national identities if they joined together for this one tournament.

 

"They've had assurance from FIFA that won't be the case, but let's just see, we're seven years away, we'll probably get there," said Coe, the chairman of London 2012.

 

"Scotland and Wales have said no at the moment but that's a matter for the British Olympic Association and the home federations.

 

"Of course I want to see a Great Britain football team that has membership from all the four home countries.

 

"That is important for me because we went to Singapore (for the 2012 Olympic bid in July) talking about inspiring young people and I didn't just talk about inspiring young people in two countries, but in four."

 

Thomas has called instead for Wales to be allowed to compete as an independent nation in the 2012 Games. "I agree with Mr. Coe that young people from Wales should be inspired by the Olympics," he said. "It is, indeed, a great shame that Wales cannot be represented in the football tournament.

 

"That's why I am calling on him to support the entry of a Welsh team in the Olympics. It is paradoxical that Wales is treated as a nation in all sporting competitions except the biggest one of all, the Olympics. Wouldn't it be great if all four nations were represented, in their own right, at the London Games?"

 

But Ian Rush, Wales' leading all-time goal scorer, criticised the decision of the Welsh FA in this week's issue of insidethegames.

 

"There's no prouder Welshman than me, but if I'd been offered the chance to play for a British football team, I'd have jumped at it," he said. "While I understand the concerns, I don't see why an Olympic side should have an influence on each home country's entry into FIFA competitions.

 

"A decision has to determine if it will improve the game in this country, and I think the answer is yes."