Nick Butler: Scottish Independence would raise many questions for Olympic Movement

I was impressed at how sport was so strongly at the centre of attention during the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, with political matters relegated to the back seat.

But, fast forward a few weeks, and the country is awash with the fervour of the impending Scottish Independence referendum.

On Thursday (September 18), all residents of Scotland over the age of 16 - so including my staunchly English cousin who has just started as a BP graduate in Aberdeen, but not a born and bred Scotsman, who has just moved south of the border - will cast a historic vote that could pose huge ramifications for the rest of the United Kingdom, not to mention farther afield.

As someone interested in history and politics, I am finding it all absolutely fascinating. Aside from the issues themselves, you have the personalities involved, the strategy of the campaign trail and the never-ending deluge of statistics, predictions and polls, plus the vast number of issues caught in the cross-fire, be they in relation to politics, energy, defence and, of course, sport.

For one of the first occasions in my memory, the three major British political parties are united in their opposition to independence, and virtually all arms of the English press are also singing from the same unionist hymn sheet. This makes for some fascinating coverage, with a mock-up of Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond with the haircut of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, to illustrate the possible alliance between the two regimes, my favourite.

The Scottish independence question is becoming ever more interesting with just three days to go until the referendum ©Getty Images

But you also have to remember that everything you read is subject to vested interests either way, with the prospects of a Scottish Olympic team at Rio 2016 a good example of this.

Last week, international Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach spoke about how they respect "democratic decisions" and, if a yes vote was to occur, they would "safeguard the interests of the athletes" and try their best to include Scottish participants in Rio.

As well as Reuters, to whom the comments were initially made, these words were reported by all of the Olympic press, including insidethegames, as well as by the Scottish Herald. But no other newspaper or website in England seems to have done so, focusing only on the words of Great Britain's IOC vice-president Sir Craig Reedie, who has said it will be "difficult" for a Scottish team to be set up in time for Rio.

Although Bach's words do not really signify much difference from those of Sir Craig, the reluctance to publish something which comes even close to being positive for the pro-independence side indicated just how partisan the media, like all other platforms, has become in this most divisive of contests.

Lengthy discussions involving the likes of Thomas Bach (left) and Sir Craig Reedie will have to take place should Scotland vote for independence ©Getty Images

To be able to compete in the Olympics, a country must fulfil two objectives. It must be an "independent state recognised by the international community", a stipulation that is currently defined by membership of the United Nations, and it must have at least five national sporting federations recognised by the respective international body. As, in the case of a yes-vote, there will be an 18 month preparation before independence is formally declared on March 24, 2016, there would be very little time to fulfil either part.

With the situation less politically divisive in a global sense than that facing Kosovo, another nation currently striving for IOC recognition, there is a possibility that recognition of a Scottish NOC could be fast-tracked in some way. Yet this move would be unlikely to be met with unanimous support by the IOC as a whole, particularly from members from countries, such as Spain, who will be reluctant to encourage separatist groups within their shores.

This means that Scottish athletes remaining part of Great Britain or competing as independent athletes under an Olympic Flag is more likely. This latter option is what Macedonian athletes did at Barcelona 1992 because the new countries NOC was not recognised in time. East Timor at Sydney 2000 and South Sudan at the Nanjing 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games last month have also previously competed under the Olympic Flag.

But, even if Scottish athletes are able to compete in Rio, there would be other challenges. Would they be eligible for National Lottery Funding, for instance? Would they be able to take advantage of training facilities south of the border? And what would happen if a Scottish athlete, particularly in a sport like rowing or cycling, is reluctant to forego successful partnerships with English team mates and wishes to stay under the umbrella of Great Britain?

As it stands, tennis player Andy Murray remains the only Olympic sportsperson who has declared that they will compete for an independent Scotland over Britain, even though he claims to be neutral on the question of independence. Unlike most others, he is not dependent on National Lottery Funding.

With Andy Murray, Sir Chris Hoy, Katherine Grainger, Heather Stanning, Tim Baillle among those adding to a rich litany of Scottish Olympic success as part of a British team in London, a subject which my colleague Philip Barker has already considered in detail, a British team would be far weaker without its Scottish core. In winter sports, where Scots make up the majority of the British team, including the entirety of the curling squads that won silver and bronze earlier this year in Sochi, there would be an even more divisive affect.

Every member of the medal winning male and female British curling squads at Sochi 2014 was Scottish ©Getty Images

Then there is the question of the IOC members. Would Sir Craig represent Scotland or Britain? Also, with Adam Pengilly and Sir Philip Craven reaching the end of their terms at the IOC Athletes' Commission and International Paralympic Committee in four and three years time respectively, could Princess Anne, who is also the Patron of the Scottish Rugby Union, be left as the only British IOC member? Leading to greater opportunities, consequently, for the likes of Sebastian Coe and International Cycling Union President Brian Cookson?

Outside the Olympics, Scottish independence poses many other sporting questions. One involves Scotland's bid to host matches during the Euro 2020 football tournament. Another involves whether the British and Irish Lions Rugby team would have to change their name, and a third involves the British Open, one of four majors on the golfing calendar. It has been confirmed that The Open will definitely be played on Scottish soil at St Andrews in 2015 and Royal Troon in 2016 regardless of the referendum result, but questions remain for the long-term as to whether Scottish courses could still be used.

None of this will matter if Scotland does not vote yes, and according to most opinion polls, a no-vote remains the narrow, the very narrow, favourite. But with three days to go, we have now reached a late, but tremendously pivotal stage in the campaign as the countdown to finals day draws near.

I received my first opportunity to see Alex Salmond in the flesh when he spoke to the press shortly before the Opening Ceremony of Glasgow 2014. Although he insisted over and over again that he would maintain a "self-denying ordinance" for the duration of the Games but could not resist following that with a quick dig about British Chancellor George Osborne paying such a brief visit to Glasgow, I have to say I was impressed.

To borrow a football analogy, he is a Roy Keane-esque street fighter, a Mario Balotelli-like maverick, and an instinctive risk-taker in the Louis van Gaal mould all rolled into one. He stands in perfect contrast to the more stoic Better Together movement, although the drive for unity has been spearheaded, as of this week, by former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. He resembles a sacked international football manager given a second lease of life back at the cosier familiarity of club level, I feel, and he appears to be relishing every second of it.

Figures including First Minister Alex Salmond and former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown have three more days to perfect their respective campaigns ©Getty Images

Time will tell whether the finishing skills of either Salmond or Brown best resemble Diego Costa or Yaya Sanogo, but like the countdown to a World Cup Final, the next three days promises to be equally as exciting and nerve wracking in equal measure.

And while interest levels will be rising throughout Scotland from the southern borders to the Outer Hebrides, those elsewhere, from the corridors of Lausanne to the London headquarters of the British Olympic Association, will also be watching intently.

Nick Butler is a reporter for insidethegames. To follow him on Twitter click here.