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why 'Team GB' and not 'Team UK'?

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  • 14-08-2016 11:54am
    #1
    alfa beta
    Registered Users Posts: 763 ✭✭✭


    GB is England, Wales and Scotland.

    UK is England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

    Strikes me as odd. Would have thought UK would have simply been the more obvious option in naming / branding terms.


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    #2
    NIMAN
    Registered Users Posts: 33,286 ✭✭✭✭NIMAN


    Why not just Great Britain?
    Why the need for all this 'Team' nonsense?

    Team Ireland too, need to catch themselves on.


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    #3
    Stojkovic
    Registered Users Posts: 981 ✭✭✭Stojkovic


    Not odd at all.
    Your description explains why.

    Ireland is Team Ireland and not Team Republic of Ireland.


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    #4
    Atlantic Dawn
    Registered Users Posts: 81,853 ✭✭✭✭Atlantic Dawn
    M


    Northern Ireland residents can compete for Ireland.


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    #5
    Stojkovic
    Registered Users Posts: 981 ✭✭✭Stojkovic


    Not odd at all.
    Your description explains why.

    Ireland is Team Ireland and not Team Republic of Ireland.


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    #6
    Beasty
    Administrators, Social & Fun Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 75,868 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Beasty


    Many sports are governed on an all-Ireland basis meaning plenty of people from NI actually represent Ireland


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    #7
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    The official name of the UK is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

    The team is registered with the IOC as Great Britain and Northern Ireland.


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    #8
    belfe
    Registered Users Posts: 66 ✭✭belfe


    Probably is only because they had to choose a name.

    Northern Ireland case

    Team UK would be incorrect as well, according to wikipedia:

    "Athletes from Northern Ireland can elect to represent either the UK or Ireland at the Olympics"

    (wikipedia, I can´t post links)Great_Britain_at_the_Olympics


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    #9
    lawlolawl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,678 ✭✭✭lawlolawl


    Make Britain great again.


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    #10
    alfa beta
    Registered Users Posts: 763 ✭✭✭alfa beta


    just reading about it there - and I see that of the 29 athletes from Northen Ireland at Rio, 21 represent Ireland and 8 Britain. I would have assumed an approximate half-n-half representation before reading that, but obviously not.


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    #11
    Junkyard Tom
    Registered Users Posts: 10,117 ✭✭✭✭Junkyard Tom


    I think it's officially 'Team GB and NI' but that's a bit unwieldy. Also, I'd say the 'and NI' appendage makes a lot of British people squeamish as it's a bit like introducing yourself and then saying 'and this is my mad cousin, I'm caring for, who we don't like to talk about'.


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    #12
    The Backwards Man
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,299 ✭✭✭✭The Backwards Man


    Why does the Hellenic Republic call themselves Team Greece?

    Who gives a fcuk anyway?


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    #13
    lawlolawl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,678 ✭✭✭lawlolawl


    alfa beta wrote: »
    just reading about it there - and I see that of the 29 athletes from Northen Ireland at Rio, 21 represent Ireland and 8 Britain. I would have assumed an approximate half-n-half representation before reading that, but obviously not.

    Depends on the sport.

    If you were competing with people from mainland UK in your discipline to actually just get to represent your nation in the Olympics in the first place you would have a harder time than getting to represent Ireland which i believe involves just showing up sober with your kit when the bus is leaving for the airport.


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    #14
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    alfa beta wrote: »
    just reading about it there - and I see that of the 29 athletes from Northen Ireland at Rio, 21 represent Ireland and 8 Britain. I would have assumed an approximate half-n-half representation before reading that, but obviously not.

    Easier to make the Ireland team.


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    #15
    robinph
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,089 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    The country code was decided on a long time ago when there was only a British team and Ireland was part of it so was no need to differentiate between UK / GB. Nobody cares enough to be bothered to change things.


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    #16
    Fleawuss
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,681 ✭✭✭Fleawuss


    Won't anyone think of Team Chems?


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    #17
    bmwguy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,006 ✭✭✭bmwguy


    Team GB are doing exceptionally well, 30 medals. But is this the last time they compete as GB I wonder?

    If Scotland leave, it will be just England and Wales. Will they go it alone as individual nations?

    I can imagine Scotland looking to have their own name on the medals table, even if it won't be a huge number like ourselves


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    #18
    learn_more
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,520 ✭✭✭learn_more


    My problem with it is that it just sounds soooooo CORNY !


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    #19
    maudgonner
    Registered Users Posts: 5,455 ✭✭✭maudgonner


    lawlolawl wrote: »
    Depends on the sport.

    If you were competing with people from mainland UK in your discipline to actually just get to represent your nation in the Olympics in the first place you would have a harder time than getting to represent Ireland which i believe involves just showing up sober with your kit when the bus is leaving for the airport.

    Hardly.

    What's the selection criteria for becoming a keyboard warrior, by the way?


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    #20
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    bmwguy wrote: »
    Team GB are doing exceptionally well, 30 medals. But is this the last time they compete as GB I wonder?

    If Scotland leave, it will be just England and Wales. Will they go it alone as individual nations?

    I can imagine Scotland looking to have their own name on the medals table, even if it won't be a huge number like ourselves

    Scottish shooters, rowers and cyclists would clock up a few medals more than us.


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    #21
    Arcade_Tryer
    Registered Users Posts: 2,021 ✭✭✭Arcade_Tryer


    Team Brexit as I like to call them.


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    #22
    youreadthat
    Registered Users Posts: 761 ✭✭✭youreadthat


    Saoirse Worried Cheetah wrote: »
    Scottish shooters, rowers and cyclists would clock up a few medals more than us.

    Would soon diminish once exiting the British sports programs and making new ones from scratch with a lower budget.


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    #23
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 26,052 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    maudgonner wrote: »
    Hardly.

    What's the selection criteria for becoming a keyboard warrior, by the way?

    Fingers on your hands, fire under your butt, and anonymity behind your screen.


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    #24
    wakka12
    Registered Users Posts: 9,786 ✭✭✭wakka12


    Because in the olympics northern irish people represent team Ireland. So seeing as NI is excluded from the UK team then it just becomes team great britain (Eng, Scotland and Wales)


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    #25
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    wakka12 wrote: »
    Because in the olympics northern irish people represent team Ireland. So seeing as NI is excluded from the UK team then it just becomes team great britain (Eng, Scotland and Wales)

    What? NI people can represent GB if they wish, and several do. Your logic is completely flawed.


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    #26
    robinph
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,089 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    wakka12 wrote: »
    Because in the olympics northern irish people represent team Ireland. So seeing as NI is excluded from the UK team then it just becomes team great britain (Eng, Scotland and Wales)

    Wrong.

    Plenty of people from NI have been on Team GB. They are free to choose who to represent.


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    #27
    Berserker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,046 ✭✭✭Berserker


    wakka12 wrote: »
    Because in the olympics northern irish people represent team Ireland. So seeing as NI is excluded from the UK team then it just becomes team great britain (Eng, Scotland and Wales)

    Not correct. Plenty of representatives from NI on Team GB, past and present.


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    #28
    lawlolawl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,678 ✭✭✭lawlolawl


    maudgonner wrote: »
    Hardly.

    What's the selection criteria for becoming a keyboard warrior, by the way?

    Nice meltdown.


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    #29
    catbear
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,092 ✭✭✭catbear


    I think GB now stands for Go Brexit!

    When I was a kid I asked my da what the GB sticker on the car ahead meant, he said it stood for Gob****e Bus.


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    #30
    munsterlegend
    Registered Users Posts: 6,163 ✭✭✭munsterlegend


    lawlolawl wrote: »
    Depends on the sport.

    If you were competing with people from mainland UK in your discipline to actually just get to represent your nation in the Olympics in the first place you would have a harder time than getting to represent Ireland which i believe involves just showing up sober with your kit when the bus is leaving for the airport.

    You should express those views to Michael Conlon, Paddy Barnes or Donnelly and get in the ring. Might not be using the keyboard for a while though.


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    #31
    CrabRevolution
    Registered Users Posts: 2,827 ✭✭✭CrabRevolution


    Saoirse Worried Cheetah wrote: »
    Easier to make the Ireland team.

    So Michael Conlon is world champion, but only boxes for Ireland because he can't make the GB team?

    Our 49er sailors are from Belfast. Currently they're 4th in the standings, while the GB team are 13th and risk being cut from the final race.

    Or Ciara Mageean, from Down. Came third in europe (behind a Pole and a Dutch woman) but somehow can't make the GB team?


    Or maybe, maybe...they're Irish and so compete for Ireland?


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