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Athletics

Fifa order clubs to release U23 players for Olympics

30/07/2008

A Fifa judge presiding over a Players' Status Committee hearing today has informed clubs they must release players under the age of 23 for the men's Olympic football tournament in Beijing this summer.

Tunisian judge Slim Aloulou ruled that releasing players that come under the age restrictions is mandatory, despite several clubs stating their opposition to the ruling.

An understanding already exists between the clubs and the world governing body that all players must be released for Fifa-sanctioned matches.

However, because of the specific age rules imposed for the Olympic Games and its position on the international calendar, a number of teams - including La Liga giants Barcelona, who will lose Lionel Messi to Argentina, and Bundesliga sides Werder Bremen and Schalke 04 - have lodged appeals against the mandatory release.

Nevertheless, Fifa has stood by its initial position, set out at an emergency committee meeting yesterday, ordering clubs to release their players for the competition.

In a statement on the judge's ruling, Fifa said the international match calendar "is not of relevance in establishing whether clubs are obliged to release players".

"In view of the longstanding and undisputed practice (since 1988, clubs have always accepted the release of under-23 players for the competition), [Judge Aloulou] deemed that recourse to customary law is justified.

"In addition, the single judge took into account the decision of the Fifa emergency committee, which recalled that in 1988 the Fifa congress had determined that all players up to the age of 23 were eligible to play in the men's Olympic football tournament.

"The Fifa emergency committee also stated that the same principle had been confirmed at the Fifa congress in 2006."

The statement added: "Finally, the single judge stated that taking part in the Olympic Games is a unique opportunity for all athletes of any sporting discipline, and that it would not be justifiable to prevent any player younger than 23 from participating in such an event if his representative team had qualified."

The ruling means all players who qualify for their country by age must be released for the duration of the competition, which runs from the first matches on August 7th until the final on August 23rd.

Several Premier League stars have been selected for their countries, including Manchester United's Brazilian playmaker Anderson and countryman Lucas Leiva of Liverpool, meaning they will be absent for the start of the domestic season.

Manchester City's record signing Jo must also play for Brazil before he can join up with his new team-mates, while Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou is with the Ivory Coast and Liverpool winger Ryan Babel has been called up by the Netherlands.