LONDON: England’s Football Association confirmed on Tuesday that plans to enter British men’s and women’s football teams at next year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro have been abandoned.

The FA wanted to enter teams for the tournament, but had to scrap the proposals after encountering opposition from the football associations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

“After careful discussion, The FA has decided not to enter either a women’s or a men’s team into the Rio Olympics 2016,” the FA said in a statement.

“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.”

Published in Dawn, April 1st, 2015

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