were equally unwilling but eventually agreed.The German flag with Olympic Rings used by the united team

representatives, including the Belgian Alexandre de Mérode and two surviving members of the American team

a solid concrete dimension to the dream of every hopeful young athlete," said the organisers.Every team

Journal of Olympic History, has lectured at the National Olympic Academy and contributed extensively to Team

GB publications.

By Paul OsborneDecember 30 - Bounty paper towels have donated $10,000 (£6,000/€7,200) in support of the USA Hockey Family Fund at the United States versus Canada exhibition game in St Paul, Minnesota.

The Team USA Hockey Moms in many ways act as the backbone of the USA Hockey Teams," said Victoria Schooler

at an exhibition game between the United States and Canada ©Getty ImagesBounty is giving back to the Team

2012: Proud sponsor of mums, P&G, revise sales forecasts downJune 2012: Mothers of London 2012's GB

By Gary Anderson at Baselga di Pine in TrentoDecember 19 - With past competitors including Olympic champions Jessica Ennis-Hill and Amy Williams, Universiades are a fundamental stepping stone for many athletes with aspirations of competing at the highest level, according to Trentino 2013 Chef de Mission Neil Rogers.

The women's team of Abigail Brown, Jennifer Dodds, Hannah Fleming, Lauren Gray and Alice Spence lost

GB at the 2014 Winter Olympics while Michael Goodfellow and Greg Drummond are also heading to Russia

as part of the men's team, with both having performed with distinction in Erzurum also.The Team GBR

If you look at Erzurum 2011, three of the girls that got the gold and two of the men's team will be in

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected] 2013: Team GB flag

By Nick ButlerDecember 18 - London 2012 swimming champion Bethany Firth will aim to compete at Rio 2016 for Great Britain after her request to change nationality from Ireland was approved by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

This is about Bethany wanting to be with people who she gets on with, who understand her and Team GB

would like to express our gratitude to her for all that she has achieved in her time competing with Team

It is always a moment of great pride for Team Ireland when the athletes in whom we have invested so much

Bethany was one of the success stories of London 2012 for Team Ireland, winning as she did our first

GB at OlympicsAugust 2012: Hynd brothers lead GB medal charge in the pool as teenage starlet Firth

By Nick Butler at Charlotte Street in LondonDecember 18 - Great Britain has reinforced its opinion that attending the Winter Olympics is preferable to any form of boycott by announcing Sports, Tourism and Equality Minister Helen Grant will visit Sochi "at some point" during next year's Games.

Charter with the principals of free speech.He added that the BOA "strongly believe that as an Olympic team

Charter.Beyond an unrelated recommendation that athletes should not publically drink alcohol while wearing their Team

GB kit, there are no restrictions on clothing worn by athletes.

By Emily GoddardDecember 17 - Elena Allen, who competed for Britain at both the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympics, has been named on the 14-strong Welsh shooting squad heading to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

experience of five Commonwealth Games under their belts.They are one of two married couples named to the team

and Rhys Price.Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games champion David Phelps features on the Welsh shooting team

We're sending a really strong team to the Games next year; a team that work hard and are all striving

The balance of age, experience and youth in the team is just right, the first timers have some great

2014June 2012: Kerwood selected as final athlete to represent Team GB in shooting at London 2012

By Gary AndersonDecember 17 - London 2012 Olympic venue, the Lee Valley White Water Centre, is set to host the first round of the 2014 International Canoe Federation (ICF) Canoe Slalom World Cup Series, it was announced today.

Cup Final in Augsburg, Germany, from August 15 to 17.Lee Valley is currently used as a base for the GB

Canoeing slalom team, which includes London 2012 silver medallists David Florence and Richard Hounslow

taking individual gold, while European champion Fiona Pennie is also based at the Olympic venue.Team GB

During London 2012 the centre welcomed around 55,000 spectators who were privileged to witness Team GB's

Tickets for the Lee Valley World Cup will go on sale next February, but before then GB Canoeing is due

By Paul Osborne at the National Ice Centre in NottinghamDecember 16 - Britain announced the five short track speed skaters that will compete at Sochi 2014, claiming that it was the strongest squad ever selected by the country for the Winter Olympics. 

"I'm very pleased with the athletes that have been selected for Sochi,"said Stuart Horsepool, Team GB

short track team leader and performance director of GB short track"They have all worked incredibly hard

to earn the right to be part of Team GB, not just this season but over the course of the last four years

GB at Sochi," said Eley."

In some ways I'm more excited because I'm part of the strongest ever squad that Team GB has sent to a

Paralympic silver medallist Angie Malone has been named as the fifth member of Britain's wheelchair curling team

on board," said Tony Zummack, head coach of the team."

the team dynamic perfectly."

Malone was part of the GB curling team that won silver at Turin 2006, the first Paralympics to feature

was part of the GB team that won silver in the 2006 Turin Paralympic Winter Games ©Getty Images"I'm

The wheelchair curling team, which competes as Team Scotland at World Championship level, has produced

By Paul Osborne at Manchester Central Convention ComplexDecember 13 - Aaron Cook's bitter rivalry with Lutalo Muhammad could come to a head at the World Taekwondo Grand Prix here as the pair sit poised to meet in the final should they progress unscathed to that pinnacle stage of the contest.

The pair have been locked in a war of words coming into the event following the controversy over Team

GB selection process for London 2012, which saw Muhammad picked to compete ahead of Cook, despite his

win bronze at London 2012, believed that Cook had gone "too far" with his persistent appeals against GB

Taekwondo's selection, telling BBC Sport: "It was quite clear that GB Taekwondo was firm in its stance

nbsp;Muhammad takes taekwondo bronze medal as Stevenson is shocked by first-round exitJuly 2012: Team

By Nick Butler at Charlotte Street in LondonDecember 13 - Great Britain's Major League Baseball (MLB) star Michael Roth has strongly supported the sport's bid for inclusion at Tokyo 2020 after the possibility was re-opened last month.

ImagesIn terms of whether, should baseball be successful in its bid, he could personally be donning the Team

GB jersey come Tokyo 2020, Roth was more ambiguous."

By Emily GoddardDecember 11 - British Skeleton today revealed Lloyd's Insurer Talbot Underwriting as its latest sponsor, becoming the national governing body's Official Vehicle Supporter.

season, and British Skeleton commercial director David Henwood claimed Talbot's support is vital as the team

This is a crucial season for the squad as we are seeking to qualify a maximum six GB sliders for the

British Skeleton sponsors.Talbot chief executive Rupert Atkin spoke of his delight to be partnering with Team

British Skeleton is such an incredible team with an outstanding record of success," he said."

By Paul OsborneDecember 11 - The British Olympic Association (BOA) has announced the six figure skaters who have been selected to represent the nation at next year's Sochi Winter Olympics.

I'm incredibly proud to be a part of Team GB for Sochi," McCorkell said."

The buzz you get being part of Team GB, living in the Olympic Village and competing for your country

to represent Team GB," he said."

of figure skaters to represent Team GB."

event at Winter OlympicsOctober 2013: Team GB announce men's curling team for Sochi 2014August

By Gary Anderson at the Val Gardena Val di Fassa in TrentoDecember 10 - A day before the official Opening Ceremony, the 2013 Winter Universiade action got underway here today as the first ice hockey matches were played and hosts Italy got off to the perfect start with an impressive win over Latvia.

It's always nice to score goals, but with the national team and in front of your audience [it] has a

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected] StoriesDecember 2013: Team

GB flag carrier realistic about targets at Trentino 2013October 2013: Canadian women's ice hockey

By Paul OsborneDecember 10 - Ireland's "nationality issue in the Olympics is a nettle that needs to be grasped by sporting bodies on both sides of the border" claims an independent report set up to investigate sectarianism and racism in Northern Irish boxing.

Boxers from Northern Ireland are not able to compete for Team GB at an Olympics unless they relocate

GB or Ireland teams at the Olympics," the report said."

legal obligation for all sporting bodies in Northern Ireland to facilitate athletes to compete for Team

GB, Ireland or both, as they may so choose."

GB at the Olympic Games could be met with opposition from the IABA and the Olympic Council of Ireland