At London 2012, Britain is preparing to take part the Olympic football competition for the first time since 1960. Quite how 'British' our representatives will be a still a matter of controversy, with the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish football associations refusing to cooperate with their English counterpart in putting together the squad. While players from those nations will not be barred from participating, question marks remain over how many will take up the invitation from Stuart Pearce and Hope Powell, the recently-installed managers of the men's and women's teams.
One near-certainty for the squad, however, is David Beckham. In fact Beckham has now indicated he fancies captaining Team GB (that stands for Great Britain, by the way, not Golden Balls), and it would be a shock if he wasn't given that honour, too.
Beckham's inclusion would further his ingratiation with the Olympic movement. Beckham was on the platform in Singapore with London's bid team when the city was awarded the Games in 2005. Subsequently he appeared atop a London bus at the closing ceremony of the 2008 Games in Beijing. Bookmakers have also placed him among the favourites to be the final torchbearer at the opening of the 2012 Games.
For Becks to be involved in all of this entirely laudable activity without ever having been an Olympian is slightly strange, although Stuart Pearce probably won't have that anomaly in mind when chooses his squad. He'll pick Beckham for sporting reasons, for the deadly accuracy of his right boot and the leadership qualities he would bring to the team. But his inclusion may risk weakening those Olympic ideals he and Beckham have been publicly espousing.
Olympic football, like the rest of the Games, was once an exclusively amateur event. The current eligibility rules for men were established in 1992, stating that professional players were allowed to take part as long as they were aged 23 or under (the women's competition has no age restrictions). This rule would disqualify Beckham - who will be 37 by the time of the Games - except for the fact that every country is allowed to supplement their squad with three overage players.
Although there's nothing illegitimate about selecting Beckham, we have to wonder whether it would be in keeping with the spirit of the Games. While many doubt the merit of the Olympics as a football competition - especially in Europe, where the Olympics always coincide with the more prestigious European Championships - they are at least a genuine competition on their own terms. That is, one designed for the cream of world football's young talent. Beckham has the talent, even now, but certainly not the youth.
If we are to exploit the overage players rule, the most appropriate approach is to choose players that are not too far above the limit. There are plenty of young players in Britain just older than 23, but still to fulfil their potential at the highest level. On the fringes of the England team you'll find, for instance, Manchester City defender Micah Richards and Aston Villa forward Gabriel Agbonlahor, neither of whom is likely to be in the senior squad for Euro 2012.
We can probably make a case for some older players to take part on sympathy grounds. If Scotland midfielder Darren Fletcher has recovered sufficiently from his battle with ulcerative colitis by the summer, few would begrudge him a place. Likewise Ryan Giggs, one of the best players of his generation - personal troubles notwithstanding - but still to grace a major championship with Wales.
None of this applies to Beckham. His stellar career has included three World Cups, including two as England captain. He should be applauded for refusing to accept the end of his time in international football, but there's simply nothing left for him to do at this level. If Beckham allows Olympics football to become a retirement home for fading stars, he'll only degrade the competition he has done so much to promote.