SEPP BLATTER has warned that Scotland's position within Fifa could be threatened if a composite British team plays in the 2012 London Olympics. His stance vindicates that of the SFA, who have repeatedly stated they won't allow Scottish players to be selected for an Olympic team.

The Fifa president, who was attending the International Board meeting at Gleneagles, said: "The best solution is that when it is played in London it should only be an English team. To make a combined team is not a good idea."

The Swiss president, who will be 72 tomorrow, had previously indicated that Fifa would not make an issue of a British team. But last night, while reiterating that was still his personal position, he said the four British associations would be unwise to draw unnecessary attention to their Fifa "privileges".

Blatter pointed out: "I have only said before that, according to Fifa's statutes, a combined team will not affect the privileges the four British associations were given in 1946 at the congress in Luxembourg - four independent Fifa votes and one vice-presidency. I have no problem if they field a team only with English players, or with Welsh and Northern Irish. I'm not affected.

"But the more you write about this item for the Olympic Games in 2012, the more you will start again, somewhere in the world, to put into question these privileges. Definitely. The best thing would be to say nothing, field a team, and the story is over."

Blatter's intervention in what is becoming an increasingly political issue is unlikely to please the chairman of Fifa's ethics committee, Lord Coe. The former Olympic gold medallist is also chairman of the organising committee for 2012 and it was recently revealed that he has been trying to persuade Sir Alex Ferguson to manage the British team - a move which would put pressure on the SFA to allow its players to participate.

Blatter shrugged that off, and repeated: "When it comes to the Olympics there should be one team from one of the countries playing, and not a combination from all four. Otherwise you would have a team from four different nationalities according to Fifa and it would give access to discussion. It is a question of how you manage your privileges."

Blatter, who is in his third term as Fifa president, also encouraged the SFA to apply for the world club championship when it is next available in 2010/11.

"It is something that Scotland would be well equipped to stage because there are just six teams," he pointed out. "You have excellent stadia here, including three in Glasgow which are of international standard."

l Blatter interview, page 20