/world sport
BREMEN, Germany (AP) -- Schalke defender Rafinha and Werder Bremen midfielder Diego have joined Brazil's Olympic team without the permission of their German clubs.
Rafinha is one of a number of Bundesliga players in conflict with their clubs over the Olympics.
Schalke said it would seek Rafinha's suspension after he failed to report to a training camp Monday. He is believed to be with Brazil's team in Paris.
"We've written to the Brazilian football federation (CBF) and the International Olympic Committee asking that Rafinha does not play at the Olympics," Schalke general manager Andreas Mueller said Tuesday.
"If the CBF does not meet our request, then we will go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)."
Diego, one of the Bundesliga's top stars, showed up for a photo opportunity at Werder on Tuesday but skipped practice to meet with club general manager Klaus Allofs.
After a 90-minute meeting that failed to resolve their differences, Diego left the club "without permission" to fly to Paris to join the Brazil team, Werder said in a statement.
The club will now take the case to CAS. Both Diego and the club will accept the CAS ruling, Werder said.
Football teams at the Olympics are only allowed three players under the age of 23. Both players qualify, but the clubs claim they are not obliged to release them irrespective of their age as the games are not on FIFA's calendar.
The German football federation said it had forwarded Schalke's protest to FIFA.
"We support the protest and we share the opinion of the clubs that they are not obliged to release players since the Olympic football tournament is not on FIFA's international calendar, and there is no decision by FIFA's executive to require the release of players of a certain age," the DFB said.
Several German clubs have released players for the August 8-24 Olympics, but top teams like Schalke are opposed to letting them go as they will miss the August 15 start of the Bundesliga season and some European matches.
Hamburg do not want to release Belgium defender Vincent Kompany and Bayer Leverkusen are opposed to the departure to Beijing of Constant Djakpa of Ivory Coast.
Bayern Munich, however, have released Brazil defender Breno, who is not a starter at the club.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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