The controversial topic has been in the news again recently after Sebastian Coe, the chairman of London 2012, claimed that they had spoken to Sir Alex Ferguson about managing the team in the Games, which he insists he is not interested in.

 

Then Colin Moynihan, the chairman of the British Olympic Association (BOA), said last week that there would definitely be a British football team in the 2012 tournament, comments first reported on insidethegames.

 

FAW president Peter Rees has now launched a furious attack on Coe and Moynihan.

 

He told today's edition of Wales on Sunday: “If I told you neither of them has ever even spoken to us about it, and we learn all this from the newspapers, then you get an idea of how they are going about matters.

 

“We remain totally opposed to any Welsh involvement in a Great Britain side at the Olympics and none of our players would participate in such an endeavour.

 

“We believe it is a position which reflects the views of our players and our supporters.

 

"They want Wales to qualify for a European Championship or World Cup and that is what we continue to work towards.

 

“The only reason this has been raised in the first place is because the Games in 2012 are in England and they want to promote it – why didn’t they come up with idea of doing it for the Games in Beijing?”

 

Rees is confident that tough stance of the FAW will be supported by Welsh politicians.

 

He told the newspaper: “The Welsh Assembly would not tolerate this either.

 

"They do not want to see us being told what we must do via London.”

 

Like Scotland, the Welsh fear that if they enter into an agreement to enter a joint team in the Olympics then FIFA will use it as an opportunity to insist that a similar arrangement takes place for the World Cup and European Championships.

 

Rees said: “Let’s just say there are [FIFA] delegates who would see this as an opportunity.

 

“Imagine the next FIFA meeting after London, you would get people saying, 'They have always said they are four separate nations, but they were Great Britain for the Olympics – why should it not be the same for the World Cup?'

 

“It has ben tried before and we have fiercely resisted, so there is no way that we will take a chance of opening that door of opportunity.”

 

Rees believes Wales should be allowed to compete independently at the Olympics.

 

He said: “We would like to see our players at an Olympics, but it will only happen if they are representing Wales purely.

 

“Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England should all be invited to take part individually.”

 

To read the full article visit http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballnation/football-news/2008/07/27/welsh-fa-fury-over-gb-plan-for-olympics-91466-21412558/.