Team GB anger at TV name mistakes

‘Things around the game must continue to improve’

➤ Gaffes on Eurosport feed ‘frustrating’ and ‘disappointing’

➤ Players vow to use errors as motivation to reach last four

Team GB’S women footballers have revealed their anger at commentators getting their names wrong in matches and say it will provide them with extra motivation in their quarter-final against Australia today.

Great Britain’s 1-1 draw with Canada on Tuesday was shown by Eurosport using a feed provided by the Olympic Broadcasting Service, whose commentator referred to GB’S top scorer, Manchester City striker Ellen White, as “Ellie” throughout. He also called Holland and Arsenal superstar Vivianne Miedema “Abbie Miedema”, and referred to Phil Neville as the England head coach, despite him stepping down from the role in January.

GB’S players believe the errors are far from isolated incidents, claiming broadcasting is yet to catch up with the strides taken by the game.

“It is disappointing and I think that’s a common theme within the women’s game,” said midfielder Kim Little. “As the game has become a professional sport, the things around it need to keep improving, too, as well as broadcasting and the media, the kind of level of expertise, when commentating on games.”

It is understood Eurosport will staff today’s match with its own commentary team to try to avoid a repeat.

The GB team said they would use the incident as fuel to reach the last four. Winger Rachel Daly said: “It’s not difficult to get players’ names right. It’s quite frustrating and disappointing, but it’s just another bit of fuel to add to the fire and we just focus on us, and stay grounded.”