Fifa Rejects Olympic Football Changes

World football governing body FIFA has turned down calls to restrict the Olympic men’s football tournament to players 21 and under, and will stick with an Under-23 format plus three over-age players for the London 2012 Olympics.

European governing body UEFA had wanted the change to ensure that top players stay with their clubs during pre-season training.

However FIFA’s executive committee decided to retain the existing format for the next Olympics.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter had talked in Beijing in 2008 of scrapping the over-age exception with both the European and South Americans wanted the tournament reduced to an under-21 level.

However the suggestion had upset the International Olympic Committee which feared a further loss of prestige of a sport which remains one of its biggest ticket-sellers.

FIFA also felt, significantly, that with the qualifying competition due to start early next year, it was too late now to change the system. Discussions will begin in February on what happens from the 2016 Olympics onwards.