London 2012: Gareth Bale to miss Olympics with injury - BBC News
Tottenham winger Gareth Bale will not be available to play for Team GB's football side at the Olympics after aggravating a back injury in training.
Bale, 22, was set to be named in manager Stuart Pearce's 18-man squad that is being announced on Monday.
The Welshman was due to be one of the star names in the squad, but following medical advice was forced to withdraw.
It is the latest blow to the profile of the team after David Beckham revealed he had missed out on selection.
Beckham was expected to be one of the three over-23 players named in the squad, but former Manchester United team-mate Ryan Giggs is thought to have been named, as well as Liverpool's Craig Bellamy and Manchester City defender Micah Richards.
Former England captain Beckham had made Pearce's shortlist of 35 players but was overlooked for the final squad and admitted to being "very disappointed" at missing out.
Bale signed a new four-year contract with Tottenham on Wednesday but now faces a race against time to be fit for their season opener against Newcastle United on 12 August.
He had been a firm supporter of Team GB's participation in the tournament despite opposition from the Football Association of Wales (FAW).
In May 2011, he declared his interest in playing for Pearce's side and in October of the same year was pictured wearing the Team GB London 2012 football supporters' shirt.
"I want to play in the Olympics," said Bale, in May 2011.
"I think it would be a great experience.
"You see it with the British and Irish Lions in the rugby, they come together as a unit and play against other countries. It's great and there's no reason why that can't happen with the football.
"At the moment Wales haven't qualified for a major tournament in I don't know how many years so it would be nice to play in one against the best countries in the world."
The FAW, along with the Scottish and Northern Irish associations, fear Team GB could threaten their independence. However, they have said they will not stop their players from taking part in the tournament.
London Welsh hail appeal victory - Belfast Telegraph
Saturday, 30 June 2012
The Championship winners had been barred from going up by the Rugby Football Union after they failed to meet the minimum standards required of a Premiership club. The appeal centred on the fact they were being blocked from playing at Oxford United's Kassam Stadium despite three existing Premiership teams cohabiting with football clubs.
The appeals panel concluded the so-called 'primacy of tenure' rule was void because it broke European and UK competition laws, and the club said: "This is not only a victory for London Welsh, its players, coaching staff and all its supporters but also for sport in general and the game of rugby union in particular, reinforcing the ethos and fundamental sporting ethic that the best team should receive the appropriate rewards."
London Welsh also made a strong play of the fact that promotion and relegation, wherever possible, should be decided on the field of play.
The verdict reached by panel chairman James Dingemans QC, Ian Mill QC and Tim Ward QC condemned Newcastle to the drop.
Newcastle, who have no provision to appeal the decision through rugby channels, kept their options open over a challenge through the courts. But the tone of the Falcons' reaction to the decision suggested they would look to rebuild in the Championship.
"We do not underestimate the competitiveness and challenges we face in the Championship but under the tutelage of Dean Richards we will have one, and only one goal - to win," the club said.
"Dean has been in this situation with Harlequins and he understands what it takes to navigate through the Championship, whilst putting together a team that will be successful with immediate effect on our return to the Aviva Premiership."
London Welsh need to step up their recruitment programme while the RFU's priority now is to instigate a review of the minimum standards criteria, or at least what is left of them.
Not for the first time in recent months, the governing bodies of elite rugby in England have been left red-faced.
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