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How does having a GB team hurt the footballing sovereignty of the home nations? Seems like politrix to me. I may be wrong, but it may be that they don't want is FIFA to turn around and tell them that they have to go to WC as team GB as civil war would break out in the UK.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/aug/14/fa-team-gb-rio-olympics-2016
FA will not back a Team GB men's side for Rio Olympic Games in 2016
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Team GB women beat Brazil at Wembley during London 2012 but they may not get to meet again at the Rio Olympic Games. Photograph: Catherine Ivill/AMA
Alex Horne, the general secretary of the Football Association, has said the Team GB men's team will not play again and that it is "unlikely" that the women's team will be allowed to enter the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
London 2012 marked the first time a Great Britain women's team had competed at the Olympics while the men had not been involved since 1960.
Horne's words will come as a blow to the women's game which was hoping to build on the exposure it received during the Olympics. A record crowd of 70,584 watched Hope Powell's GB team beat Brazil 1-0 at Wembley in their final qualifying match.
The FA is reluctant to continue supporting a men's or women's Great Britain team as it is concerned their appearance in qualifying for Rio 2016 could harm the footballing sovereignty of the home nations.
"Within the men's game it is 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."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/aug/14/fa-team-gb-rio-olympics-2016
FA will not back a Team GB men's side for Rio Olympic Games in 2016
•
Team GB women beat Brazil at Wembley during London 2012 but they may not get to meet again at the Rio Olympic Games. Photograph: Catherine Ivill/AMA
Alex Horne, the general secretary of the Football Association, has said the Team GB men's team will not play again and that it is "unlikely" that the women's team will be allowed to enter the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
London 2012 marked the first time a Great Britain women's team had competed at the Olympics while the men had not been involved since 1960.
Horne's words will come as a blow to the women's game which was hoping to build on the exposure it received during the Olympics. A record crowd of 70,584 watched Hope Powell's GB team beat Brazil 1-0 at Wembley in their final qualifying match.
The FA is reluctant to continue supporting a men's or women's Great Britain team as it is concerned their appearance in qualifying for Rio 2016 could harm the footballing sovereignty of the home nations.
"Within the men's game it is 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."
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