FIFA president Sepp Blatter has revealed his anger with the Court of Arbitration for Sport's decision to allow clubs to recall their players from the Olympic Games...
One of the hottest topics of the summer has been the debate over whether clubs should be forced to let their players participate in Beijing, as several teams across Europe have attempted to hold onto their stars for the start of their domestic campaigns.
Foremost among the fiasco has been the case of Barcelona prodigy Lionel Messi, who was not willingly released by his club despite being called up to the Argentina squad.
FIFA then stepped in, demanding that all clubs make their players available for Olympic duty. But the CAS ruled yesterday that world football's governing body could not force teams to release anyone, as the Games fall outside their jurisdiction.
Blatter has already expressed his surprise at the decision, and he believes it could have disastrous consequences for the tournament.
"I'm very disappointed, I cannot understand this ruling. Just now when the Olympics Games has started because now we are in a very difficult situation," Blatter told Reuters TV.
"If this ruling is applied to all the players here then we have no Olympic tournament.
"This is absolutely nonsense. I cannot understand how CAS, which is an emanation of the Olympic movement, made such a ruling.
"The clubs could say 'let's let them play and we could be financially compensated'. Is that the Olympic spirit?
"We can't let them go. We can't see them return home, a day before Games start, putting in danger an entire tournament."
Foremost among the fiasco has been the case of Barcelona prodigy Lionel Messi, who was not willingly released by his club despite being called up to the Argentina squad.
FIFA then stepped in, demanding that all clubs make their players available for Olympic duty. But the CAS ruled yesterday that world football's governing body could not force teams to release anyone, as the Games fall outside their jurisdiction.
Blatter has already expressed his surprise at the decision, and he believes it could have disastrous consequences for the tournament.
"I'm very disappointed, I cannot understand this ruling. Just now when the Olympics Games has started because now we are in a very difficult situation," Blatter told Reuters TV.
"If this ruling is applied to all the players here then we have no Olympic tournament.
"This is absolutely nonsense. I cannot understand how CAS, which is an emanation of the Olympic movement, made such a ruling.
"The clubs could say 'let's let them play and we could be financially compensated'. Is that the Olympic spirit?
"We can't let them go. We can't see them return home, a day before Games start, putting in danger an entire tournament."
