Clubs refuse to bow to Blatter pressure over Olympics

Published on Wednesday 23 July 2008 23:36

FIFA president Sepp Blatter says that clubs must release their eligible Under-23 players for the Olympic football tournament despite the claims of Europe's leading clubs that they were under no obligation to do so.

Fifa and the European Club Association (ECA), the successor to the G14 which represents Europe's leading clubs, issued contradictory statements yesterday with Fifa reaffirming it was mandatory for clubs to release their players.

Blatter, in a letter to all Fifa members said: "The release of players below the age of 23 has always been mandatory for all clubs. The same principle applies for Beijing 2008."

He added that the fact that the Beijing Olympics is not included in the co-ordinated international match calendar did not mean there was no release obligation for the relevant clubs.

However, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, the ECA chairman, said in a statement that there "was no legal obligation" on clubs to release their players for next month's Olympic football tournament.

Rummenigge said in a statement: "As the Olympics are not included in the harmonised International Match Calendar, the obligation to release players for national team matches does not apply.

"We, therefore, support all clubs that currently face losing important players.

Earlier this week, Brazil defender Rafinha absented himself without leave from training with Schalke 04 in Germany after they repeatedly refused to release him for the Games.

On Tuesday Werder Bremen playmaker Diego defied orders from his club and left Germany to join the Brazil squad, while the Brazilian FA (CBF) criticised Real Madrid's decision to pull Robinho out of the squad yesterday, saying the timing of the Spanish club's decision had disrupted their preparations.

Schalke 04 have announced that they will take their dispute with Rafinha to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, following Werder Bremen's decision to do the same earlier this week.

Schalke said they were taking the step after they received no response by noon on Tuesday to letters of protest to the International Olympic Committee and the Brazil federation (CBF) sent a day earlier.

The disagreement over the status of the Olympic tournament centres on the fact that the Games are not included in the international match calendar.

Fifa says that omission is an irrelevance and the Olympic tournament is deliberately not included in the international calendar.

In his letter Blatter added: "Due to its unique character the men's Olympic football tournament has always been intentionally treated differently. However this does not mean that there is no release obligation for the relevant clubs."

The ECA takes a different view and said in its statement: "The ECA suggests that Fifa president Sepp Blatter should define clear guidelines and regulations in consultation with the IOC regarding subsequent Olympic Games."