FA end plan for combined British team at Rio Games - report

LONDON (Reuters) - The English Football Association have scrapped plans to send a combined British football team to compete at next year's Rio de Janeiro Olympics because of opposition from other home nations, the BBC reported on Monday. The BBC said the FA had written to the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish associations to inform them. Britain fielded a unified football team managed by the FA, after a 52-year absence, at the London 2012 Olympics although at the time it was seen as a one-off move to mark the home Games. Several Welsh and Scottish players played at London 2012 without the blessing of their national associations. Debate has raged over a British soccer team, with the Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish FAs concerned that agreeing to unite for the Olympics would jeopardise their independent status within football's world governing body FIFA. (Reporting by Justin Palmer; editing by Greg Stutchbury)