Liverpool players are unlikely to participate at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games this summer, with Mohamed Salah expected to be a major absentee for his nation.
The competition runs from 22 July to 7 August, ending only a week before the Premier League's opening weekend, when the Reds will take on Norwich City.
And it is believed that Liverpool have refused their players permission to compete in the Olympic Games, having told the relevant authorities that they do not want their stars to travel so close to the start of the new season.
That bold move from the Reds would see Salah miss out on the opportunity of representing his country, and Egyptian FA president Ahmed Megahed has told ONTime Sport that he believes it's 'difficult' for the forward to join up with his national compatriots.
"I don't want to say it's impossible for Salah to participate, but it is difficult," said Megahed, via the BBC.
Megahed went on to state that Salah had originally 'agreed to lead' his Olympic side, but Liverpool 'refused the request' made by the Egyptian FA to release their superstar. According to the Egyptian FA president, Salah remains keen to partake in the Olympics, and will look to 'resolve the matter'.
"Salah agreed to lead the Olympic team during the last camp of the Egyptian team.
"We contacted Liverpool to allow Salah to join the Olympic team, and they said they were waiting for the approval of the technical staff.
"In the end, Liverpool refused the request because they do not want to lose the player at the beginning of the season, as well as next January with the Africa Cup of Nations, which will keep him from participating in the English Premier League matches.
"We spoke with Salah again, and he told us that he will make a new attempt with the technical staff of his team to resolve the matter, and within the next two days he will find a way."
Source: 90min
