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Dai Greene hits out at Olympic football team

Greene: 'No place for football in Olympics'
© PA Photos
400m hurdles champion Dai Greene says that "most athletes" are opposed to a football event being included in the Olympics.

World 400m hurdles champion Dai Greene is adamant that football should not be included in the Olympics due to fears of high-profile names overshadowing the other athletes.

While the Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish Football Associations remain opposed to the idea of an integrated Great Britain football team, Welsh runner Greene thinks that the event shouldn't be included in the Games at all.

"I don't think the football team should be there in the first place," Greene told BBC Wales. "I hope that those big names don't overshadow those people who have trained for four years to be there for that one moment.

"These guys have four to five weeks off in the summer then become an Olympian. It does seem a little bit out of place.

"These guys want to win Premierships, Champions League trophies and World Cup medals. They don't grow up wanting to be an Olympic champion, they want to be the best in football."

The 25-year-old, who used to play for Swansea City's youth team, thinks that the majority of his fellow athletes would be opposed to football in the tournament.

"The crowning glory in football isn't being Olympic champion so I don't think their sport should necessarily be involved - or at least at a professional level," he added. "Most athletes would agree with what I'm saying. There's no place for it at the Olympics."

England Under-21s boss Stuart Pearce will coach the men's Team GB football team while Hope Powell will take charge of the women's team.

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