• London 2012 Olympics

British football team has 'no place' at Olympics - Greene

Dai Greene is a World 400m hurdles champion © Getty Images

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World 400m hurdles champion Dai Greene has slammed the idea of having a star-studded British football team at the London 2012 Olympics, insisting most athletes do not think the footballers should be allowed to compete.

Greene is gearing up for the biggest year of his career when he bids for Olympic gold in London, but he insists the same importance will not be attached to the Games by the Team GB footballers.

The British Olympic Association is currently facing opposition from the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish football associations, who do not want the likes of Gareth Bale and Darren Fletcher to participate for Team GB due to the threat it poses to their footballing independence.

In Greene's eyes the issue should not even arise, because footballers do not deserve to be labelled Olympic champions. Indeed, he points to competitions like next summer's Euro 2012 tournament as proof that British football stars have bigger priorities.

"I don't think the football team should be there in the first place," Greene, who was part of Swansea City's youth team for a number of years, told BBC Wales. "I hope that those big names don't overshadow those people who have trained for four years to be there for that one moment.

"These guys have four to five weeks off in the summer then become an Olympian. It does seem a little bit out of place. These guys want to win Premierships, Champions League trophies and World Cup medals. They don't grow up wanting to be an Olympic champion, they want to be the best in football.

"The crowning glory in football isn't being Olympic champion so I don't think their sport should necessarily be involved - or at least at a professional level."

Greene insists he isn't alone in his belief, claiming his fellow athletes are also contemptuous of the football team. "Most athletes would agree with what I'm saying. There's no place for it at the Olympics," the Welshman continued.

"When some guy wins a gold medal in badminton or swimming, they want it to be about them and their hard work and their story to get there. But sadly in some of the papers that might be overshadowed with what David Beckham had for breakfast maybe - and that is not a great story from our point of view."

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