Originally Posted by BBC Sport

Fifa approves Team GB compromise



Fifa has approved a proposal to field an all-English team to represent Great Britain at the 2012 Olympics in London.

The four home nations had written to football's governing body clarifying that Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland would take no part in the team.

The compromise was ratified at Fifa's executive committee meeting in Nassau.

"I am happy, they are happy, the IOC is happy, the organising committee is happy and I hope football is happy," said Fifa president Sepp Blatter.

"You have to bring a Great Britain team for the 2012 Olympics in football, and as they are four associations then take one association to be this team."

The development ends a dispute that has raged since 2005, when London won the right to host the Games.

The Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish associations had feared their independence in world football would be under threat if they united with England at the Olympics.

A document had been prepared by the Scottish Football Association and sent to the other bodies, which paved the way for England - rebadged as GB in both the men's and women's competitions - to represent Great Britain on a one-off basis.