Gibraltar's national teams have been included in UEFA competition draws for the first time, a move into European football which their FA president insists should not be a political issue, AP reported. Gibraltar Football Association leader Gareth Latin told The Associated Press on Wednesday it was "a proud moment" seeing Under-19 and Under-17 teams placed in qualifying groups for their 2014 European Championships. However, some politicians in neighboring Spain want to stop the British territory playing those matches because of a sovereignty dispute. "This is nothing at all to do with politics and we have said it from Day 1," Latin said after the draws at UEFA headquarters. "We should think of football and work in unity." Still, Spain was barred as a potential opponent by UEFA to avoid inflaming political tension. Gibraltar was drawn instead with an asterisk by its name in an Under-17 pool with England, Ireland and Armenia, and an Under-19 group with the Czech Republic, Croatia and Cyprus. Gibraltar was allowed in the draws because UEFA granted provisional member status in October after previous bids in a long campaign were blocked by Spain, which claims sovereignty. Still, Gibraltar is sure to make its official competitive debut in January, playing qualifiers for the 2014 Futsal Euro. The matches in Nice, France, will be against the host, Montenegro and San Marino, another tiny territory which has become an established member of the European football family. -- SPA
