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By Erik Kirschbaum
BERLIN, July 21 (Reuters) - Brazil defender Rafinha was absent without leave from Schalke 04's training on Monday after his Bundesliga club repeatedly refused to release him to play in the Beijing Olympics.
Schalke manager Andreas Mueller told journalists he had last spoken with Rafinha on the phone on Sunday and reiterated the club's position that he was not free to go to the Olympics.
"I spoke with him on Sunday and was insistent that nothing had changed in our position and that we were expecting him to be with us on Monday for the trip to our training camp in Austria," Mueller said.
"He informed me that he would not be at the meeting place for the journey and would not join our training camp."
Rafinha, 22, was quoted in Bild newspaper on Monday as saying: "I want to meet up with the Olympic team on Tuesday. I don't think I'll be travelling with Schalke into the training camp."
FIFA reiterated last week that clubs are obligated to release under-23 players for the Aug. 7-23 Olympics soccer tournament.
The tournament, which features under-23 sides with three over-age players allowed in each team, has produced several other club-versus-country rows, including a battle between Argentina and Barcelona over Lionel Messi.
There are several other under-23 players in the Bundesliga who want to play in the Olympics but whose clubs have refused to release them.
Werder Bremen playmaker Diego, 23, is supposed to report back to training with his club on Wednesday but his father, who is also his manager, has told German newspapers that Diego will instead be travelling to join his Brazil team mates.
Hamburg SV's Vincent Kompany, who plays for Belgium, has also tried in vain to get a release from his club.
Mueller said Rafinha has a contract with Schalke to 2010. He said that this was the first time a player had so flagrantly violated club orders.
"He's our player and has a long-term contract with us," said Mueller. "This has now gone to an entirely different level than a player coming back from holiday a couple of days late."
One Bundesliga club, promoted Hoffenheim, said that they had released their 22-year-old Nigeria striker Chinedu Obasi for the Olympics.
