Schalke threaten legal action against Rafinha
Reuters - Tuesday 22 July 2008, 13:03
BERLIN - Werder Bremen playmaker Diego
defied orders from his Bundesliga club and left Germany on
Tuesday to join Brazil's Olympic team, following the footsteps
of Schalke 04 defender Rafinha who went absent without leave on
Monday.
Werder Bremen sporting director Klaus Allofs announced the
club would take action after repeatedly warning him he would not
be released even though FIFA said clubs are obligated to release
under-23 players for the Aug. 7-23 Olympics soccer tournament.
"We were unable to reach an agreement in a 90-minute meeting
this morning," Werder said on its website (www.werder.de).
"Diego feels obliged to join Brazil's team in Paris. He
fears not showing up would jeopardise his future career for
Brazil."
Allofs, who believes clubs are not obligated to release
players for the Olympics, said Werder was seeking intervention
from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against Diego, 23.
"It's best for everyone involved to clear this up once and
for all," Allofs was quoted telling sport news agency SID. "This
kind of back-and-forth should never happen again."
Earlier, Schalke 04 said they were considering legal action
against Rafinha for breach of contract after he left a training
camp without permission to join Brazil's Olympic team.
Schalke sporting director Andreas Mueller was quoted saying
the club would also ask CAS to intervene if Rafinha does not
return to the Bundesliga side's training camp.
Rafinha, 22, went absent without leave from Schalke's
training on Monday after Schalke refused to release him.
"He has breached his contract at Schalke," Mueller said,
adding the club had sent letters to the Brazilian football
association (CBF) and the International Olympic Committee
demanding that Rafinha not be allowed to compete.
"If the CBF does not respect our wish, we'll file legal
action at the CAS."
Mueller has said he had last spoken with Rafinha on the
phone on Sunday and reiterated the club's position that he was
not free to go to the Olympics. Rafinha told Mueller he would
not be at training and was going to the Olympics.
The tournament, which features under-23 sides with three
over-age players allowed in each team, has produced several other
club-versus-country rows, including a battle between Argentina
and Barcelona over Lionel Messi.
There are several other under-23 players in the Bundesliga
who want to compete but whose clubs refused to release them.
Hamburg SV's Vincent Kompany, who plays for Belgium, has
also tried in vain to get a release from his club.
Mueller, who according to media reports could fine Rafinha
25,000 euros per day, added it was not too late for his return.
"We hope that he changes his mind," Mueller said. "There
won't be any further consequences for him if he returns by
Wednesday or Thursday."
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