Ahly have turned down a request from Egypt’s Olympic team to keep hold of the three over-age players until they finish their campaign in London, the club said on Wednesday.

Olympic team coach Hany Ramzy has included Ahly playmaker Mohamed Abou-Treika, right-back Ahmed Fathi and striker Emad Meteb in his roster for the London Games but he is unlikely to retain them until the end.

“The requests made by Ramzy over the Ahly players are difficult to accept,” Hady Khashaba, the chief executive of Ahly’s football committee, said on the club’s official website.

“The Olympic team coach wants to keep the players until their last match in London but Ahly will need them during the Champions League game against Ghanaian side Chelsea (on 3, 4 or 5 August)

 “Ahly will send a letter to the Egyptian Football Association tomorrow to preserve our rights in bringing back the players before meeting Chelsea,” he added.

Khashaba’s statement means Egypt will only have the influential players available for the group stage, where they will face Brazil, Belarus and New Zealand.

They will have to do without them if they advance to the knockout phase. Ramzy was unavailable for comment.

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