FORMER First Minister Henry McLeish has called for arrangements to be put in place that would allow a Team Scotland to compete in the 2016 Rio Olympics if Scots vote for independence next year.

An interim report, prepared for the Scottish Government, has called for funding to be switched rapidly from UK sports bodies to their Scottish counterparts to enable a national team to compete in Rio less than six months after the SNP plan to declare independence.

The report insists it would be "relatively straightforward" for an independent Scotland to become an Olympic and Paralympic nation in its own right.

On preparing Scots athletes to compete in future Games, it adds: "In principle, decisions which relate to developing and funding Scottish athletes should be taken as locally as possible.

"Where this would necessitate a transfer of functions and funding from a UK body to a Scottish one, any transition arrangements put in place should not in any way affect an athlete's ability to fully prepare for nor participate in competition."

The Rio Olympics will take place from August 5 to August 21, 2016, and the Paralympics a month later from September 7 to September 18.

If voters back independence next year Scotland would formally leave the UK in March 2016, after 18 months of negotiations with the UK and international organisations, including sports governing bodies as well as the EU, UN and Nato.

At present many of Scotland's top athletes, as part of Team GB, rely on UK funding and facilities as they prepare for major competitions.

Mr McLeish was appointed in September to lead a working group on Scottish sport, tasked with preparing the ground for successful Scots Olympic and Paralympic teams.

His interim report said: "This is an incredibly important and exciting time for sport in Scotland.

"Our work has already begun with initial consideration of Scotland as a successful Olympic and Paralympic nation in its own right.

"While we have as yet to reach firm conclusions - these will be set out in our final report - we did arrive at a view on a set of principles which should underpin any future arrangements in an independent Scotland."

Calling for further evidence ahead of a final report next spring, he added: "It is critical, to help inform our thinking, that we are able to seek information, insight and views from a broad range of organisations and individuals.

"The group welcomes and encourages individuals and organisations to fully engage in this process in a positive and constructive way."

Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport Shona Robison said the "eyes of the sporting world" will be on Scotland next year when the country hosts the Commonwealth Games and golf's Ryder Cup.

She added: "I am very supportive of the principle that we put the wellbeing of our athletes at the forefront of our thinking on how we achieve success for Scotland on the international stage."

The report recognised that the timetable for accepting Scotland as a separate Olympic nation would be in the hands of the Games's governing body, so competing as Team Scotland in Rio could not be guaranteed.

But it said systems should be put in place for "selecting, managing and developing" a Team Scotland.

At the 2012 London Olympics, 55 Scots competed as part of Team GB, making up about 10% of the 542-strong squad.

They were involved in 12 out of 65 British medal wins.

Three Scots - tennis player Andy Murray, cyclist Sir Chris Hoy and swimmer Michael Jamieson - won individual medals.

Ms Robison said earlier this year she was confident a Team Scotland would compete in Rio.

A Better Together spokesman said: "Anyone who cheered on Team GB at the Olympics last year knows that we are stronger and better when we work together. Why would we want to put these achievements at risk by breaking up Team GB?"