Ryan Giggs (pictured above, centre), who captains the side, Craig Bellamy, Joe Allen, Neil Taylor and Aaron Ramsey, were all selected against the wishes of the FAW which fears its individual international status within FIFA might be compromised.

But chief executive Jonathan Ford says he and his fellow officials "respect" the decisions of those who accepted Team GB invitations.

"We've always been very clear that we're never going to put any sanctions on our players with regards to the Olympics," Ford (pictured below) said.

On a political level, he said, Wales was still opposed to a joint Team GB squad but would never ban any players from wearing the national shirt.


"Of course we will not ban them but it's well documented that we don't really see a Team GB," he said.

"On political grounds we've been opposed to it.

"We see a Welsh team, we see an English team, as Scottish team and a Northern Irish team.

"We want to continue to play under that flag.

"On sporting grounds, we don't really, in our mind, actually view it [football at the Olympics] in such the same esteem as the World Cup or the European Championship."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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