Olympic Soccer Divides

Agence France Presse

Published: July 25, 2008 (Issue # 1393)

BEIJING — Despite being the world’s most popular sport, soccer usually takes a back seat at the Olympics, dwarfed by track and field, swimming and gymnastics.

Even though the likes of Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi are going to China, the spotlight won’t really swing toward them until late in the tournament.

Yet Olympic soccer is already making waves. Clubs are refusing to release their stars even though the players have been called up by countries searching for an elusive gold medal.

The teams argue that this is an irrelevant and poorly timed tournament in which the International Olympic Committee and soccer’s world governing body are trying to give soccer a higher profile at the games.

For decades, Olympic soccer was played by so-called amateurs and dominated by teams from the former Soviet bloc. The big stars from Western countries, who were paid, weren’t allowed to take part.

Now the Olympics are open to professionals in all sports. The prospect of an Olympic gold medal has prompted some of the big names to join their rising stars. While 21-year-old Argentina star Messi falls into the age category, 28-year-old Ronaldinho has decided to join the Brazilian squad to try and add another title to is already impressive resume.

With 16 teams taking part and a final in the Olympic stadium Aug. 23, the IOC and FIFA hope that soccer will maintain its growth within the Olympics after standout performances in recent games by gold-medal winners Nigeria (1996), Cameroon (2000) and Argentina (2004).

So those in charge of Olympic soccer hoped that the clubs would be proud to field someone who had won an Olympic gold medal.

Far from it, apparently.

The clubs, who pay the players’ salaries, are preparing for the start of domestic seasons that begin during the Olympics.

Although Germany doesn’t have a team in the men’s competition in China, some of the Bundesliga clubs don’t want their Brazilian stars to go.

Schalke refused to release defender Rafinha for the tournament. He failed to show up for the club’s training camp and instead joined the Brazilian Olympic squad. Werder Bremen midfielder Diego wants to go to the Olympics, but his club was expecting him to arrive for training Tuesday.

And it’s not just Brazilians.

Hertha Berlin won’t let striker Marko Pantelic play for Serbia, Hamburger SV doesn’t want to release of Belgium defender Vincent Kompany and Bayer Leverkusen has said no to Constant Djakpa of Ivory Coast.

On Monday, two weeks after Brazil announced its Olympic squad, Real Madrid reported that striker Robinho had injured his groin and asked for his release from the trip to China. The club says it’s better for him to be assessed for preseason in Spain rather than in China.

The squads have been announced and the players are preparing for China.