Commenting on the former Scotland manager’s petition to the Scottish Government, calling for an impact assessment of a GB football team, Liberal Democrat Sports spokesperson Ross Finnie MSP said: “This call for an assessment appears to be based on an assumption that participation in the Olympics will inevitably result in the end of the Scottish football team. We don’t need the experts to tell us that this would have a very serious effect on Scottish football and facilities like Hampden.

“The most important aspect of this argument is whether or not FIFA will provide a cast iron guarantee that Scotland participating in team GB at the Olympics would have no impact on Scotland’s participation on the world football stage.”