The Scottish FA "could block plans for a Great Britain women's football team" at Tokyo 2020, according to Chris McLaughlin of the BBC. It "was thought a deal had been done" after FIFA announced that all four Home Nations had agreed to allow players to participate in Tokyo. But the SFA "is to look at the issue again and could scupper the agreement." Frustration is understood to center around the nomination of England to "try and claim one of the three European spots available at the 2019 World Cup." If England succeeds in taking one of the qualification places in France, "it would then be handed to Team GB." But with Scotland having also qualified for the Women's World Cup, "some believe that plan to be seriously flawed" (BBC, 12/3). In London, Paul Forsyth reported discussions around the issue took place before the appointment of Ian Maxwell as CEO of the SFA. He is "keen to revisit the matter during a board meeting of the governing body at Hampden Park on Thursday." Traditionally, Team GB has not competed in Olympic football tournaments "because of fears that it would be the first step in a process" that ended with FIFA asking the Home Nations to compete as a U.K. team permanently. FIFA "has always said it would sanction a British Olympic team," provided that the Home Nations agreed to it (LONDON TIMES, 12/4).
