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FIFA's Olympic 'release' ruling imminent
Barcelona will appeal to CAS if told they must release Lionel Messi for the Olympic soccer tournament.
The decision on whether to uphold a traditional FIFA rule obliging clubs to release players 23 or under for the games is being handed down by a legal adviser sitting as the world governing body's Players' Status Committee.
The ruling affects Barcelona, who stand to lose forward Lionel Messi to Argentina, and Schalke and Werder Bremen, whose players Rafinha and Diego have already joined Brazil.
Schalke and Werder last week filed appeals at the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport, world sport's highest appeal body, but were told they must first go through FIFA's own appeal process.
If the ruling goes against the clubs, they can then appeal to CAS.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta said that the Spanish club would appeal to CAS should FIFA demand they release Messi.
Both Barcelona and Schalke are scheduled to play Champions League qualifying round matches in mid-August.
The Olympic football tournament starts one day before the August 8 opening ceremony and is being played in cities across China.
