Those who say sport and politics should not mix are usually politicians. That is largely, I believe, because it is an area that matters hugely to the wider world and is full of highly-motivated, competitive people with whom politicians struggle to deal.

There are exceptions but, for some years, I had a pet theory that most politicians, in this country in particular, tended to neglect sport because it had been their own inadequacies in that area that had led them into the debating chambers and the libraries at an early age.

It is an unfair generalisation, I'm sure, but our politicians have, down the years, failed miserably to release the power of sport in terms of addressing the physical, mental and spiritual health of the nation.

Elsewhere that is not so.

Some 30 years have elapsed since the Australians decided they could transform their image in the world through sport. Their sports minister is among the five biggest-hitters in cabinet, unburdened by the additional responsibilities of arts, culture and whatever other activities we might deem frivolous enough to lump in as mere leisure.

Rather more dramatically, the importance of sporting boycotts on ridding South Africa of apartheid can never be understated. Certainly, Nelson Mandela clearly understood sport's importance when, at the 1995 Rugby World Cup final, he donned the Springbok shirt - once seen by his ANC supporters as a hated symbol of oppression - to make a statement about the need for all in his nation to put their ugly past behind them.

Our problems may not be on that scale, but, as people head for the polling booths today, may I suggest a couple of questions that should perhaps be exercising the minds of thinking Scots.

In particular, how long do the 80/90-minute nationalists think the rest of the world will let us get away with the status Scotland currently holds as a province allowed to participate in international competition?

It is surely only a matter of time before other governing bodies look to the Olympic example. With so many nations fighting for representation at their major events, to allow - with apologies to the many proud Irish who do not like this geographical description - the British Isles to have four or five slots seems a remarkable indulgence.

At this stage, it is more likely to be a problem in football, with Africans and Asians eyeing the size of European representation in the World Cup, while continentals also ponder why the Brits are given four opportunities to be represented in the European Championships.

With the home unions all still occupying places among the world rugby's top 10, it will take longer for similar pressure to be applied there but, unless the IRB fails to develop the sport, it will eventually.

Perhaps the majority in this country are ready to support British football and rugby teams, as they are prepared to do at the Olympics, or how about Irish, Scots and Welsh lads simply, as they must in cricket, aspiring to play under the banner of England?

That brings us on to the other key question of the money being ploughed into the London Olympics and the potential benefit to Scotland. Every time Tessa Jowell, the sport, arts, culture, pastimes and general downtime minister opens her mouth, it seems to be to say that more money is required. It must come from somewhere and it seems inevitable that more lottery funding will be diverted that way.

So how much do we believe that will benefit Scotland and Scots? Will it, for example, be more advantageous for aspiring Scottish youngsters to have a slight chance of involvement in that massive global event, or will they gain more from the opportunity of bidding to represent Scotland at a Commonwealth Games staged in Glasgow?

Will Scotland's sense of civic pride be enhanced more by staging one or two Olympic events and training camps or by getting the chance to host an admittedly smaller, but still prestigious, Games?

As we contemplate today whether it is better to be a province of Britain or a nation within Europe, consider too the sporting success of our Celtic neighbours in Ireland.

Is it mere fluke that nowhere more than on the field of sport has this little country - even more sparsely populated than our own - demonstrated its growing self-belief since becoming part of the European Union?

Many politicians will worry at the prospect of we sports-minded souls pondering such questions as they head into the ballot box this morning.

After all, those blessed with a bit of brawn are not usually best equipped to apply their brains to such important questions, are they?