England women's football manager laments British Rio absence

Sampson guided England to a bronze medal at last year's Women's World Cup in Canada - a result that would have seen any other country gain a place at the Olympics.

However, that would have meant the individual football associations of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland agreeing to be part of a Great Britain team - the umbrella under which athletes from all four countries compete at an Olympic Games.

The quartet all agreed to allow British men's and women's teams at the 2012 Olympics in London but as far as the Celtic nations (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) were concerned this was a one-off as any such future collaboration might jeopardise their status as separate football entities.

As a result, only the English FA were keen to send a team to Rio, but without the support of the other three countries there was never any chance of a Great Britain football team going to Brazil.

"There's not many people on this planet who are Olympians, and this group of players did earn the right to go to an Olympics and compete, and represent themselves and their country and their family and friends, but it's been taken away from them," Sampson said on Wednesday.

"I think the most frustrating thing is that not only have they not been given the opportunity to become Olympians, but I've watched the tournament and I believe this team would have won the gold medal".

Asked if it might be possible for Britain to field a football team at future Olympics, Sampson said that was "way, way above my pay grade".

He added: "They've worked so hard for it, so hopefully something can happen that, if we were to qualify again, GB would get a chance to take part in women's football".

England captain Steph Houghton scored three goals at London 2012 before Great Britain, a team made up largely of English players, lost in the quarter-finals to Canada.

On Tuesday, Houghton and her team-mates, who are currently involved in a training camp, watched on television as Sweden beat hosts Brazil on penalties.

"That was originally our place - the place that we won at the World Cup," the 28-year-old Houghton said.

"And it's hard, and it's disappointing, but at the same time it is what it is and there's no point about complaining we can't be there. It's about using our energy that we could use to complain, to go into the Euros and hopefully have a great tournament over there.

"If you speak to the rest of the squad they're very disappointed not to be in the Olympics because I think we could have gone there and done really, really well".