Messi to stay in China despite CAS ruling (2nd Roundup)

By George Burns Aug 6, 2008, 12:41 GMT

Beijing - Lionel Messi will stay in Beijing and play for Argentina when they open their title defence against Ivory Coast in Shanghai Thursday despite a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) Wednesday in favour of his club Barcelona.

'Messi will play the whole Olympic Games for Argentina. He will stay for the whole tournament,' Argentina coach Sergio Batista said.

'I spoke to him and he said this to me.'

Barcelona took a case before CAS looking for the return of Messi and were joined by German Bundesliga clubs Werder Bremen and Schalke 04, who were seeking to stop their players Diego and Rafinha from lining out for Brazil.

The Brazilian football federation CBF said it was 'ignoring' the matter and that both players would play against Belgium in Shenyang on Thursday.

'We haven't received any official communication,' said the CBF in a statement. 'Both players will stay and will be in the team to play tomorrow.'

The three clubs successfully appealed to CAS after FIFA's Players Status Committee ruled last week that clubs had to release under-23 players for the Beijing Olympics.

However, although the FIFA ruling was set aside 'in its entirety' the players are still free to play for for their countries because CAS said the decision 'does not affect the eligibility status of the players who have been validly entered by their National Olympic Committee and who remain fully eligible to compete' in the Olympic Games.

'The players can remain if the clubs are happy,' Matthieu Reeb, secretary general of CAS, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

'This is typically part of the contractual situation between the clubs and players. Now there will certainly be a discussion between the clubs and players to look for a new agreement. Maybe they won't get paid during the games.'

Reeb said that while the players could still line out for their countries, the clubs could make another appeal to FIFA and ultimately to CAS but any ruling would come too late for the Beijing Games.

'Obviously the clubs can do this because the players would be breaking their contracts,' he said.

'But there is no time for this now.'

It remains to be seen whether Barca, Werder or Schalke will take further action or if they heed FIFA president Joseph Blatter's call for the clubs, in the wake of CAS's decision, to live up to the 'Olympic Spirit.'

The whole affair is a huge embarrassment to football's ruling body, which Reeb said should have foreseen the problem long before the Beijing Games, a view echoed by the Gilbert Felli, the IOC's Olympic Games Executive Director.

'I am sad for the athletes, they are here dreaming of the Olympics,' he added.

The FIFA congress made a decision in 1998 that the Olympics should be open to Under-23 players, with three overage footballers permitted, but the clubs argued that as the Olympic tournament was not on the international match calendar, players need not be released for it.

CAS agreed with the clubs on the issue of the tournament calendar and added that there was 'no specific decision of the FIFA Executive Committee establishing the obligation for the clubs to release players under 23 for this tournament.'

It also held that the requirements to justify a legal obligation of clubs to release their players on the basis of customary law were not met.

Blatter said in a statement that he was disappointed by the CAS decision.

'FIFA is surprised and disappointed by this decision, but we respect it. Nevertheless, I appeal to the clubs: 'Let your players take part in the Olympic Games. It would be an act of solidarity in perfect harmony with the Olympic spirit. It would be wonderful for the players, for the fans and for the game itself.'

Blatter asked the three clubs involved to show some goodwill towards their players.

'FIFA's opinion has not changed. The Olympic football tournaments are a unique opportunity for a player as they are high-level competitions that give everyone involved - most notably young players - the chance to gain international experience that will stand them in good stead for the future,' he said.

'It stands to reason, therefore, that it is not only the player and his national team who can benefit from such an experience, but also his club.'