Scots still wary of Team GB

FIFA's apparent assurances over the independence of the four home nations have failed to soften the Scottish Football Association's opposition to a British Olympic team.

Government minister Jim Murphy on Wednesday received "reassurances" from FIFA that the participation of a joint UK team at London's 2012 Olympics would not threaten Scotland's footballing independence.

But the SFA maintain such a precedent could come back to haunt them, because FIFA's members are not bound by any statement from the governing body's executive. An SFA spokesman said: "We await with interest the outcome of FIFA's deliberations next month but we must be clear on this."

SFA officials are thought to feel strongly that there are nations who would be keen to challenge the separate status of Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

He added: "We have to take decisions on this issue, based on what is right for Scottish football.

"While we would welcome any statement from FIFA, we have to be clear that FIFA is an organisation made up of its members - and it is their views on the precedent that a Team GB would set that are so important in this issue.

"We will not do anything that we feel would jeopardise our status as a footballing nation in our own right. At this stage, we feel that a Team GB does just that.

"At some point, there is a real danger that a precedent of a Team GB will come back and threaten our status as a separate nation."