• Rio Olympics 2016

Little hope of GB football teams at Rio

ESPN staff
August 14, 2012
The GB women's football team's run to the quarter-finals at London 2012 captured the country's imagination © Getty Images
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The chances of a football team representing Great Britain at Rio in four years' time are remote, the Football Association has declared.

Alex Horne, the general secretary of the FA, says it is "unlikely" a unified Team GB - of either sex - will compete in Brazil in 2016 because of the risk of jeopardising the footballing independence of the four home nations.

Following her side's quarter-final defeat to Canada, women's head coach Hope Powell spoke of her desire to see a British team participate at the next Games, after being encouraged by the level of support enjoyed by her troops.

However, Horne says a repeat is doubtful, while the FA has ruled out any prospect of Team GB's men's football entering a side for the Olympic tournament at future Games.

"Within the men's game, it's not going to happen again," Horne told the Times. "On the women's side I'm going to say it's unlikely, for the same reason. But you can understand why it's more compelling. Olympic football for women is the pinnacle."

Andy Hunt, Team GB's chef de mission, said he would "love" for the women's team to feature at future Games, but stopped short of giving the same backing to the men's team.

"For the men's team, discussions will take place between myself and the FA in the next few months," Hunt said. "But certainly for women's football, I would love them to go on."

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