Kylian Mbappe confirmed on Sunday he will not play for France’s Olympic team at the Paris Games as his new club Real Madrid are against the idea.

The 25-year-old said in March that he was keen on playing at his home Games but since the Olympic soccer tournament is not on FIFA’s calendar clubs are not obliged to release their players.

Mbappe was not included in a 25-man preliminary squad for the Olympics earlier this month, though head coach Thierry Henry left the door open.

“My club’s position was very clear, so from that moment on, I think I (knew) I won’t be taking part in the Games,” Mbappe told reporters ahead of Monday’s Group D match against Austria at Euro 2024.

“That’s just the way it is, and I understand that too. I’m joining a new team in September, so it’s not the best way to start an adventure.

“I’m going to wish this French team all the best. I’m going to watch every game. I hope they’ll win the gold medal.”

The men’s Olympic football competition begins on July 24, 10 days after the European Championships final, and ends on Aug. 9.

-Reuters

Lionel Messi said he will not be part of Argentina’s squad for the Paris Olympics as he is no longer at an age where he can play in every tournament.

The 36-year-old Inter Miami forward is currently preparing for Argentina’s Copa America title defence, which runs from June 20 to July 14 in the United States.

In February, under-23 manager Javier Mascherano said Messi, who won gold with Argentina at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, had an invitation to join the squad for Paris.

“I talked to Mascherano and the truth is we both understood the situation,” Messi told ESPN.

“It’s hard (to think about the Olympics right now) because we’re in Copa America. It would be two, three straight months of not being with the club, and more than anything I’m not at an age to be in everything.

“I have to choose carefully, and it would be too much to play two straight tournaments. I’ve been very lucky to play in the Olympics, of winning it together with (Mascherano).

“It was a wonderful experience on a football level. Olympics, U20, memories I’ll never forget.”

The men’s football tournament at the Olympics takes place in July and August. Teams are allowed three overage players in their squads.

-Reuters

Ahead of Nigeria’s fourth participation in the badminton event of the Olympics, the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) has opened its training camp in Lagos ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The Paris 2024 will run from July 26th to August 11th. Nigeria had previously in 1996, 2008 and 2020 featured in the badminton events.

Two-time African Games Champion and four-time African Senior Champion, Anuoluwapo Opeyori is Nigeria’s sole representative in the badminton event at the Games. He becomes the first Nigerian badminton player to make back-to-back appearance at the Olympics.

President of the BFN, Francis Orbih revealed that Anuoluwapo Opeyori is paired with two national team players, Victor Ikechukwu and Emmanuel Joseph at the Badmintonn section facility at Ikoyi Club 1938.

Orbih said the BFN has concluded plans for the second stage of camping for Opeyori in Italy.

He said, “Before the announcement of the ministry’s camping programme, the BFN decided to put our qualified athlete, Anuoluwapo Opeyori in camp alongside two national team players, Victor Ikechukwu and Emmanuel Joseph at the Ikoyi Club 1938 in Lagos.

The Federation chose Ikoyi Club because it has one of the best badminton facilities in the country and the Federation has been in a collaborative partnership with the Club.

“The players are currently being handled by Coach Ben Orakpor who is one of our experienced coaches in the country. There is no time to waste because we have less than two months until the Paris 2024 Olympics and the Federation wants to ensure Opeyori is in top shape.

“Opeyori only has 10 days in Nigeria before he departs for his first phase of the foreign training camp in Italy. We want him to have access to world-class facilities and play against some top-ranked players in Europe”.

Orbih noted that the African Champion will join the foreign camp organised by the Federal Ministry of Sports in Germany from the 1st to 21st July.

He said, “We have agreed that Anuoluwapo Opeyori will join the foreign camp organised by the Federal Ministry of Sports in Germany from the 1st to 21st of July and in between play the Mauritius international from 11th to 14th July.

“The Badminton Federation of Nigeria will continue to monitor the progress of Opeyori and hope he surpasses his previous record at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics”.