A deal has been struck by the four home associations for the team to be made up of English players only, but that is being challenged by the British Olympic Association (BOA).

The men's team will be made up of Under-23s and Bale and Ramsey, Wales midfielders for Tottenham and Arsenal respectively, would be among the first names on the team-sheet for an all-British side.

And Boyce admits that, in strict legal terms, no player from Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland can be prevented from playing.

Boyce, who takes over as FIFA vice-president in June, told Press Association Sport: "If a young player wants to be selected then legally I don't see how he could be prevented from playing. I just hope it won't come to that."

The former Irish FA president is hoping to find a solution and sympathises with the associations who fear their separate status with FIFA will be threatened if they play as Great Britain.

Boyce has offered to try to secure extra assurances from FIFA that this will not be the case.

He added: "I understand that the Olympics is the pinnacle of an athletes' career, but I also understand the way the associations feel.

"Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales have made it abundantly clear they do not want their players to be involved in this competition.

"It has been put to me that the FIFA president Sepp Blatter has given an assurance that should they be involved it would not affect their status, and no one is doubting his word.

"But there is still a grave concern that this could be used against the British associations by other people in the future.

"If the associations feel there is a way that could be got around, perhaps by the FIFA executive committee as a whole entering that into their statutes, then I would be prepared to bring it up with them."

The Scottish Football Association remain adamant that nothing has changed and insist that reports claiming two Scottish women players are contemplating legal action to secure selection are "utterly false".

The SFA last week warned of a backlash against any player joining Team GB, saying: "In eyes of the fans it would be an act of treachery, for personal gain over the collective interest. They would need to know they'd face a backlash."

The BOA say any attempt to block the selection of players from the Celtic nations could open them up to legal action.