The FA, who have been the driving force behind trying to get British football teams to compete at Rio 2016, wrote to respective associations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland yesterday to inform them of the decision to abandon the idea.

FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce, who will be succeeded in his role by former Manchester United chief executive David Gill in May, recently claimed he had "absolute categorical assurance" from football's world governing body that Britain would only be allowed to enter if all four Home Nations were in agreement.

Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales were concerned about the effect a Great Britain team would have on their independence within FIFA, and the FA admitted they were "disappointed" at having to withdraw their plans.

"After careful discussion, the FA has decided not to enter either a women's or a men's team into the Rio Olympics 2016," an FA spokesman said.

"We are disappointed not to be able to go ahead, given the fantastic opportunity it would have afforded the players and the broader exposure it would have brought to the game in our countries."

Outgoing FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce said recently that Great Britain would not be allowed to enter teams at Rio 2016 unless all four home nations supported the idea ©Getty Images



The FA also wrote to the Associations of the remaining three Home Nations back in February to advise them they were in the process of trying to enter teams at Rio 2016, which was met with stern resistance by Football Association of Wales President Trefor Lloyd Hughes, who said he was "livid" at the idea.

Great Britain were permitted to participate in the London 2012 football tournament despite some opposition, where both men's and women's teams reached the quarter-final stage.

The men's team featured Welsh players Neil Taylor, Aaron Ramsey, Joe Allen, Ryan Giggs and Craig Bellamy, who all ignored pleas from the FAW not to take part, among a largely English-based squad.

They exited the competition on penalties to South Korea.

The women's side, who suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Canada in the quarter-finals, included Scotland's Ifeoma Dieke and Kim Little.

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