[veggie4life]

Hey :-)

As my limited brain understood it, our offical title is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (aka the UK) so why are we competing in the olympics as great britain? Do we not like N. Ireland? Is N. Ireland not offically recognised by the IOC ??

[NDGAARONDI]

Same thing for the Olympics I believe. Great Britain sounds better though.

[veggie4life]

(Original post by Vincente)
Northern Ireland is part of the Irish team I believe.

This get's confusing much.

[Vincente]

This get's confusing much.

Sorry i think I'm wrong there to an extent!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland_at_the_Olympics

'Athletes from Northern Ireland can choose to compete for either Ireland or Great Britain'

[Roobagnall]

(Original post by Vincente)
Northern Ireland is part of the Irish team I believe.

it ****ing well shouldnt be!

[Welshness]

"Great" is a nicer modifier? I'm not too sure but doesnt Ireland have their own team?

[Candescence]

Because The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is even more of a mouthful than The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and we wouldn't want to take that away from them.

[The Edwinnator]

We should have Olympic Devolution! Separate teams for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland!

[[ I R I S ]]

Cause we're snazzy like that.

[veggie4life]

(Original post by Candescence)
Because The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is even more of a mouthful than The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and we wouldn't want to take that away from them.

Well then just say the UK if you say GB your excluding N Ireland !!

[Overground]

I'm pretty sure that British athletes are always said as being from 'The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland', but the media abbreviate it to Team GB.

[Nothos]

(Original post by The Edwinnator)
We should have Olympic Devolution! Separate teams for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland!

Too right!

[gm15]

(Original post by The Edwinnator)
We should have Olympic Devolution! Separate teams for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland!

That's a stupid idea!
Political devolution itself is also stupid.

[Toiletpaper8]

UNITED KINGDOM OF GB AND NI

GB = Scotland, Wales and England

NI = Northern Ireland

United Kingdom = Colonies and other random islands we own

[The Edwinnator]

(Original post by gm15)
That's a stupid idea!
Political devolution itself is also stupid.

I suppose you're not going to make my job of arguing easier by calling yourself stupid to suggest that too?

[L i b]

(Original post by The Edwinnator)
We should have Olympic Devolution! Separate teams for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland!

**** that.

[*Sparkle*]

Team GB just sounds better than Team UK?

[SillyFencer]

(Original post by The Edwinnator)
We should have Olympic Devolution! Separate teams for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland!

Impossible.

[The Edwinnator]

(Original post by L i b)
**** that.

The Nations already compete separately in football, why not in the olympics?

[L i b]

(Original post by Overground)
I'm pretty sure that British athletes are always said as being from 'The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland', but the media abbreviate it to Team GB.

Just Great Britain and Northern Ireland - they don't tend to use political designations ("Kingdom of...", "Serene Democratic Republic of..." etc) in the Olympics.

In 2004, they made a bit more of an effort on the BBC and athletes were usually credited as being from "Great Britain & NI".

Anyway, I want to know why the England and Wales Cricket Board abbreviates to ECB!