Examination of Witnesses (Questions 120-124)
LORD MOYNIHAN,
MR SIMON
CLEGG AND
MR TIM
BRABANTS
7 OCTOBER 2008
Q120 Philip Davies: Given that it
is a non-entity sport anyway at the Olympic level and that the
only people who are interested in football are interested in the
World Cup, surely the solution would be to try and persuade the
IOC to drop football from the Olympics altogether?
Mr Clegg: Again it is one of those
things that is prescribed. We know what sports are in the programme
for London 2012 and that is absolutely cut and dried.
Lord Moynihan: If I can just assist
the Committee, Simon is absolutely right, that that is technically
one option, but it is not an option that the British Olympic Association
would be pursuing. We represent all athletes in Great Britain
and Northern Ireland equally and we hope that all of them will
come forward and participate in whichever sports, including football.
We will not, as long as we are recognised by the International
Olympic Committee as representing Great Britain and Northern Ireland,
simply represent one country over another. Although technically
it would be possible to do what Simon has said, we will not be
pursuing that course of action.
Q121 Rosemary McKenna: It is very
important to the home nations and you have to understand their
great fears as to what would happen to their representation on
FIFA in the future and that is understandable. Scotland, I think,
actually punches above its weight on FIFA and they obviously would
not want to lose out on that. However, I do support the fact that
we should have a UK team in the Olympics and I would urge you
to continue the discussions. I think FIFA's role is absolutely
crucial here. FIFA have to make a very clear, unequivocal statement
that the home nations' positions would not be affected if they
were to take part in a GB team and an unequivocal statement, I
think, would go a long way to giving Scotland, Wales and Northern
Ireland the comfort to say, "Well, we'll now begin to take
discussions", because I do agree with you, that there are
many, many young, very talented footballers throughout the country,
both men and women, our women's teams are fantastic, and it would
be very, very sad if they were not allowed to take part in the
Olympics in London. That would be really very disappointing.
Lord Moynihan: I am in complete
agreement and we need to be very sensitive on this issue.
Rosemary McKenna: Yes.
Q122 Adam Price: You said that the
train was leaving the station. As far as I am concerned, the train
is very much in the sidings at the moment, it is not going anywhere,
so that is a slightly inflammatory statement because it gives
the impression that you will go ahead with this anyway even if
the FAW and the SFA refuse to engage with you and that there is
going to be a team, like it or not, even if it is only English
players. That will alienate sports fans in Wales, Scotland and
Northern Ireland right across the board and that is not what you
want for the London Olympics surely.
Mr Clegg: Well, there are certain
practical issues where we have to start planning for the participation
of the British team and indeed we had representatives from the
Football Association out with us in Beijing to start that particular
process, but we made it very clear, crystal clear to everyone,
I believe, that our aspiration is to have full engagement with
all home country football associations and that is where we want
to be. We want to have a British team that the whole country can
be proud of and get behind.
Q123 Paul Farrelly: Newcastle United
apart, it is rare to have a team without a manager, is it not!
Are there any Olympic rules that would say that actually, if we
entered a team, it would have to be an Irishman, a Scotsman and
an Englishman or could we, for example, consider a Swede or a
Portuguese?
Lord Moynihan: I think that there
is sufficient interest throughout Great Britain and Northern Ireland
amongst coaches to warrant a very active participation from home-grown
talent, but of course that is a matter for the governing body.
Q124 Paul Farrelly: You do not have
a long list here?
Lord Moynihan: I do not think
the FA does have a long list at this stage. When Simon talks about
a lot of work that has already been done on this, it has, and
a lot of discussion and thought has been put into this, not least
because many of us were very disappointed that in the circumstances,
which were technical, we did not have a women's team in Beijing
and not least the footballers who were deeply disappointed about
that, so a lot of work has been undertaken on this and, as far
as the coach is concerned, that would be a matter for the Football
Association and indeed the football associations of the home nations
hopefully coming together to consider the outcome to that I would
very much hope that they would look to home-grown talent.
Chairman: Can I thank the three of you
very much indeed.
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