By David Gold
April 14 – Giant killers Tanzania will have to repeat their stunning heroics against Cameroon in the last round of African qualifiers for the 2012 Olympic Football tournament if they are to keep their hopes alive of playing in London next year, after being drawn against Nigeria.
By David Gold
April 11 – Sydney 2000 Olympic gold medalists Cameroon will not be competing at London 2012 after crashing out of the African Confederation’s first round of preliminary qualifiers.
By Duncan Mackay
April 10 – Welsh stars Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey (pictured) will not be banned from international football if they play for Britain at London 2012, they have been assured, as the Home Nations begin to soften their stance on letting their players take part in the Olympic football tournament.
By Tom Degun at SportAccord in London
April 6 – Sport and Olympics Minister Hugh Robertson has stated that he wants to see non-English footballers, such as Gareth Bale (pictured) and Aaron Ramsey of Wales, permitted to represent Great Britain at the London 2012 Games so as to not be denied the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete in a home Olympics.
By Andrew Warshaw in Manchester
March 30 – American goalkeeper Brad Friedel today entered the debate over a unified British football team for next year’s London Olympics by saying it would be a “travesty” if players were denied the chance to compete.
By David Gold
March 30 – Iraq and Iran will go head to head in the second round of the qualifiers for the London 2012 Olympic men’s football tournament after the draw was made today.
By Andrew Warshaw in Paris
March 23 – Britain’s new FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce says there is still time to persuade the four national Home Associations to provide players for a unified team at the 2012 London Olympics.
By David Gold
March 14 – The Football Association have confirmed that players will only be selected for the London 2012 Olympics in addition to next year’s European Championships, to be held in Ukraine and Poland, with the explicit permission of their clubs.
March 9 – Sebastian Coe (pictured) has claimed he understands Scotland’s lack of enthusiasm for joining a Great British football team to compete at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
March 7 – Britain’s football team could begin its preparations for next year’s Olympics in London with a match against New Zealand at Wembley Stadium in a special fundraising event for the victims of the Christchurch earthquake if a proposal from the President of the Oceania Football Confederation is accepted.
By Andrew Warshaw at Celtic Manor
March 5 – The row over an all-British team for the 2012 Olympic football tournament escalated today when the Welsh insisted they would not allow the likes of Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey (pictured) to take part.
February 26 – Coventry’s Ricoh Arena is celebrating after being chosen to play host to qualifying match for the men’s Olympic football tournament in April 2012, an event that will be used by London 2012 as a major test event.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
February 13 – Lionel Messi, the world’s best footballer, will miss London 2012 after the two-time defending Olympic champions Argentina failed to qualify for the tournament.
By Andrew Warshaw
February 8 – There is a new row over the 2012 Olympic football tournament, with Europe’s top clubs warning their players should not be forced to compete in more than one major event per season, which could affect the participation of players like Wayne Rooney.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
January 2 – Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard (pictured) would play alongside David Beckham for Britain at next year’s London Olympics if Sebastian Coe’s wish is granted.