Egypt have claimed that Liverpool blocked Mohamed Salah’s involvement in the Olympics.
Salah’s homeland hoped to call on the him for this summer’s games in Tokyo but allege that the Reds put paid to that plan when approached about it.
The Olympics is set to finish on August 8, six days before Jurgen Klopp’s side begin their Premier League campaign away to newly-promoted Norwich City.
Anfield chiefs exercised their right not to release Salah for the tournament as there is no obligation to do so for matches not on the official FIFA calendar.
Egypt coach Shawky Gharib revealed he pleaded with Liverpool on numerous occasions to allow Salah, 29, to join up with his country but was still denied.
He said: “I tried many, many times with Liverpool, as did the Egypt FA, to persuade them to let Salah be a part of the Olympic team but they refused completely.
“Mohamed wanted to play the Olympic Games, Tokyo 2020. He talked with me, I did my best to bring him.
“Salah was a key player in my Olympic plans. But the club refused – we need to move on.”
Egyptian FA president Ahmed Megahead also confirmed that their own efforts to see Salah released from duty at Anfield failed to deliver a breakthrough.
“We started talking with them a long time ago because Salah wanted to play the Olympics but Liverpool were unclear,” he told BBC Sport Africa.
“I knew in June they would not let him go. Anyway we respect their decision.”