Bellamy to be one of Team GB's three over-age players for London 2012, he claims

By Duncan Mackay

June 5 – Craig Bellamy has been selected as one of three over-age players selected by Britain for the London 2012 Olympics, he has claimed.

The Liverpool and Wales striker, 32, would be one of the three players over the age of 23 Team GB manager Stuart Pearce is allowed to pick.

He has claimed he has already received confirmation that he will be in the squad and could line up alongside David Beckham, who has been strongly linked to one of the other overage slots.

“I am in the Olympic squad – but I was supposed to keep it quiet,” he said.

“It’s a different challenge.

“I had a difficult season with Liverpool but the Olympics is a one-off.”

If true, the decision will prove controversial because the Football Association of Wales did not want any Welsh players selected for London 2012 for fear that it might jeopardise its future to take part as an independent country in tournaments like the World Cup and European Championships.

Bellamy has won 69 international caps for Wales, scoring 19 goals.

Bellamy’s participation means he will also miss Liverpool’s pre-season tour of North America.

The final of the Olympics football competition takes place on August 11 – a week before the start of the new Premier League campaign.

Pearce is due to confirm his 35-man shortlist later this week with David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Rio Ferdinand and Joe Cole in contention for the two further overage places in the GB squad.

Great Britain play a warm-up match against Brazil at the Riverside on July 20 before their opening game of the Olympics against Senegal six days later at Old Trafford.

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