Messi: 'I will go to Beijing'

Barcelona star Lionel Messi is set to fly out to Beijing to join up with the Argentina squad ahead of the Olympics after FIFA confirmed clubs are obliged to release players aged 23 and under.

A statement issued by world football’s governing body on Wednesday revealed the judge of the Players’ Status Committee, Slim Aloulou, agreed with FIFA’s previous ruling that it was “mandatory” for players to be released for Olympic duty.

The ruling will not please Barca who vowed to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to prevent Messi from participating in the Games.

However, earlier in the day the 21-year-old claimed he did not plan to wait for CAS to give him the green light.

“I want everything to clarify itself,” said Messi as he prepared to fly out to Florence with Barca for a pre-season friendly. “I understand the position of the club because we are playing a lot.

“From the beginning I have said I want to play for my country and I have never had any problems until now.

“I am waiting to see what FIFA say, and if they say I don’t have to go, I won’t go, and if they say I have to go, I will go without waiting for the CAS ruling, because it would be too late for my team-mates and the coaching staff to wait for me.

“When FIFA’s ruling comes out I will do as I said and, if once I am there, CAS decide I have to return, I will return. But, right now, I want to be with my national team and my team-mates.”

The Games clash with the dates of the Champions League preliminary round for which Barca insist they will do everything in their power to hold onto the star forward.

The Catalan club have persistently argued they should be able to keep Messi for next month’s preliminary rounds of the Champions League, set to be played on either August 12 or 13.

While Messi sympathises, he is eager to fly out to Beijing.

“Barca are continuing with their stance that they won’t let me go and I also understand that and believe they are right,” he continued. “But I also think that they should understand my dream is to play for my country in an Olympic Games.”