In the athletics World Championships, why is this country's team called Great Britain and Northern Ireland?

Question

Why not call it the United kingdom team?

Answer 1

It is all down to politics within sport.

If as a country we simply had a UK team for athletics, pressure would be applied on us as a country to have a UK team for all sports.

This would mean no more National Football or Rugby Teams, No more individual Nations at events such as the Commonwealth Games etc.

Can you imagine, for example Scotland, Wales & N Ireland going for this especially with regard to Football when with respect many of their current international players would not get a look in if there was a UK team.

If you notice in Rugby we do have a sort of multi nation team as in the British Lions, but they never enter official tournaments as that would immediately spell the end of the individual National sides.