Make up your mind on Olympic football, Rogge tells Blatter (Feature)

By John Bagratuni Aug 17, 2009, 9:56 GMT

   Berlin - Joseph Blatter and his governing football body FIFA must finally make up their mind about the future format of the men's Olympic football tournament, Olympic supremo Jacques Rogge says.

   In an interview with the German Press Agency dpa, Rogge said that FIFA and its president Blatter were changing their views too many times and that time was running out to find a solution for the 2012 London Games and beyond.

   'The situation is changing according to the week. So we said very clearly to FIFA: 'Make up your mind, please, gentleman,'' the International Olympic Committee president Rogge said.

   But Rogge also said that he did not plan any kind of ultimatum and that the IOC and FIFA aimed to solve the issue by the end of the year.

   Rogge was speaking in a Berlin hotel during his visit to the city for IOC meetings and the world athletics championships.

   While athletics and many other sports always have all top stars at the Olympics, FIFA has had various formats ever since professionals were allowed to play at the Olympics from 1984 onwards.

   In 1984 and 1988, players were eligible who weren't fielded in World Cup qualifiers and matches. From 1992 onwards, the tournament is effectively an under-23 World Cup (an event FIFA doesn't have), plus three older players allowed on each team.

   The issue came under review again after Beijing 2008, when European clubs complained that stars like Argentina's Lionel Messi played at the Olympics at the time when the club season had started or was about to start.

   Rogge reiterated to dpa that the IOC wanted to keep the current format and did not want a change to an under-21 event or a return to the 1984 and 1988 rule.

   Rogge acknowledged that the issue was controversial within FIFA, but said that Blatter's changing views were not helpful.

   'Mr Blatter has had many, many views,' said the Belgian Rogge.

   'Mr Blatter has spoken once about eliminating the three (older) players. He's spoken a second time about going under-21, and he has spoken a third time about coming back to the rule of Los Angeles 1984 and Seoul 1988, which is basically the same as saying: 'you can only field the b-team.' This is what it means.'

   To end any confrontation on that, FIFA would have to add the Olympics to its 'combined programme' of events for which clubs must release players.

   Last year, some like Brazil's Diego and Rafinha simply walked out of their (German) clubs to play for Olympic glory. Barcelona were not pleased that Messi played, but had promised him earlier that he could go to the Olympics.

   FIFA's dilemma is that the big clubs in Europe and South America are not happy with the current format, while other FIFA confederations such as Africa and Asia want no change.

   Blatter has to take all views into account as the global football supremo. In addition, he has to protect the appeal of the World Cup, which the IOC acknowledges.

   'The issue today is that there is still no consensus within FIFA,' said Rogge.

   'The South American nations and the rich European nations, the ones that have big clubs, want a system that is either eliminating the top three players (or) either going under-21.

   'But at the same time Africa, the smaller nations in Europe that do not have these big clubs, and Asia, are saying 'no we don't want that.''

   The result of the Nassau congress was a FIFA working group to come up with a solution, then to be discussed with the IOC executive board in autumn, and to have an agreeable solution by December.

   'We plead to keep the actual system. But we need to know what you (FIFA) are going to do because this is going to impact the preparations for London and we can not wait for too long. And FIFA agreed that we would discuss this and finalize this in December,' said Rogge.

   Rogge will not be in a position to use force or an ultimatum on the regular IOC member Blatter, even though he has suggested that the tournament would be changed to a fewer number of teams if the IOC doesn't approve.

   'I am not his boss in the IOC. Mr Blatter has an IOC responsibility in general affairs. When it comes to football he also has a responsibility as the leader of football. But I am not his boss saying 'you are going to do that.' That's not the way it works.'

   'I am not going to make strong declarations because I prefer to see what is coming up,' said Rogge.