The Football Association and players from the Women’s Super League expressed disappointment yesterday after being forced to scrap plans to enter British men’s and women’s teams for the Rio 2016 Olympics after opposition from the other home nations.

The FA had told Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland it was intending to enter teams for Rio, provoking a storm of criticism.

An FA spokesman confirmed the plan has now been dropped, saying: “After careful discussion, the FA has decided not to enter either a women’s or a men’s team into the Rio Olympics 2016.

“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.”

Both GB sides reached the quarter-finals at the London 2012 Olympics, despite the fact that nations in Britain refused to give their official backing.

The tournament provided a huge platform for the women’s game.

However, former Wales captain Jess Fishlock said she wasn’t surprised by the decision to not enter a Team GB next year.

“I knew the Football Association of Wales are against it for their own reasons and their reasons are very justifiable.

“But then from a playing point of view and to see what the Olympics in 2012 did for women’s football, it’s a shame, it’s a really big shame.

“In the women’s game it is classed as a major tournament, as big as the World Cup.”

Manchester City and Welsh international Natasha Harding tweeted her feelings: “Being Welsh and maybe having an opportunity to represent Great Britain at an Olympics would’ve been a dream. Now that’s taken away.”

England manager Mark Sampson also took to Twitter: “Disappointing news that @TeamGB won’t be represented in the football tournament Olympics 2016. Could have been an unbelievable opportunity.”

by Kadeem Simmonds