Olympics 2012 Question

luckyal42 luckyal42 Joined: 15/05/2006 Posts: 15 Favourite Category: Technology

Team GB

Sat 23/08/08 21:01

In 2004 the United Kingdom competed in the Olympics under the heading GB and Northern Ireland. In 2008 it seems to have become Team GB. What happened to Northern Ireland as GB&NI is really the United Kingdom ?

2 answers

 

Olympics 2012 Answers

THECORBYLOON THECORBYLOON Joined: 23/01/2005 Posts: 5981 Favourite Category: AB Suggestions Excellent Rating

Sat 23/08/08 21:23

This was discussed on Radio Four this afternoon. One of the British Olympic Association (BOA) bigwigs, Simon Clegg said that they covered the UK the Isle of Man (I think he mentioned the Channel Islands) and Overseas Territories without their own association and that was a bit of a long name to put on the back of a vest. He said that to use the term Team UK would exclude the IOM etc. . That would be fair enough but on their own site, the BOA say that "Team GB is the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic Team." No mention of the Isle of Man etc. It's just as easy to say Team UK as it is to say Team GB so why not use it? As a matter of interest, the Irish team is called Team Ireland and their website says their team covers the island of Ireland. So the BOA doesn't acknowledge a part of the UK and a foreign nation claims to represent it. It's a joke!

10ClarionSt 10ClarionSt Joined: 21/03/2005 Posts: 3533 Favourite Category: ChatterBank

Tue 26/08/08 17:01

So will any new passports state that the holder is a citizen of Team GB?

I think the Team GB issue is a load of cobblers. We're Great Britain. I wouldn't mind betting there's a womans' thinking behind this.