Why did Liverpool refuse to let Mohamed Salah participate in the Olympic Games?
Liverpool were open to the notion of releasing Mohamed Salah for the Olympics if the Africa Cup of Nations was postponed, according to Egypt U23s coach Shawky Gharib. Salah was chosen as one of three over-age players in a U23 group to compete in this summers Games in Tokyo by the Pharaohs. Liverpool, on the other hand, elected to use their prerogative to prevent the 29-year-old from competing in non-FIFA-sanctioned international events. The Reds are already on the verge of losing their star player to Egypts senior team when they compete in the Africa Cup of Nations in January, and they were eager to prevent losing him again. Salah may have been able to compete in the Olympics if the AFCON had been postponed another year owing to the coronavirus. Salah wanted to compete in the Olympics, and we were in informal talks with him about it, but the talks fell through due to the AFCON, Gharib said on Sport FM. Salah would have played with us if the game had been postponed.  Liverpool has confirmed when Salah will be accessible to the Egyptian Football Association.  If all goes as planned, the AFCON will be held in Cameroon from January 9 to February 6. Salah would likely miss home games against Brentford and Leicester either side of a trip to Crystal Palace if Egypt reached the final. Salah wants to play in the games, according to Egypt FA chief Ahmed Megahed. We began talking with them a long time ago because Salah wanted to play in the Olympic Games, but Liverpool were unsure, he explained. I knew they wouldnt let him go in June. We respect their judgment in any case.