2012 Asian Olympic Qualifiers

KUALA LUMPUR: The 2012 Olympic Football Tournament qualifiers for Asian countries has been postponed until age eligibility issues are resolved.

The competition was scheduled for February 2010 but AFC now expects it to start after September 2010 or February 2011.

World governing body FIFA is now in the process of establishing age eligibility rules for the tournament. Once the criteria have been confirmed, AFC will inform Member Associations of the revised dates.

http://www.the-afc.com/en/inside-afc/676-afc-news/24859-asian-olympic-qualifiers-postponed

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP)—FIFA officials will discuss possible changes on the age limit for male soccer players at the Olympics.

The governing body’s executive committee meeting in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday also will address preparations for the 2010 World Cup.

FIFA favors dropping the age limit to 21 instead of the current 23, or abolishing the limit but barring all players with World Cup experience from participating.

The IOC would like to keep the age limit at 23, with the exception of three overage players.

The task force is expected to set a December deadline to come up with recommendations for new rules to be presented to the International Olympic Committee ahead of the 2012 London Games.

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=ap-fifa-executivemeeting&prov=ap&type=lgns

Qualifiers for Olympics are scheduled to start on 1. February 2010.

AFC will organize a AFC U22 Championship , probably finals in 2011 ?



http://images.the-afc.com/Documents/calendars/Comp_Calendar_2010.pdf

that´s a good idea of AFC.

Looking forward to these coming Olympics, I'll be getting tickets to some of the games hopefully.

ROBBEN ISLAND, South Africa (AP)—FIFA has turned down calls to restrict the Olympic men’s football tournament to players 21 and under, and will stick with an under-23 format plus three over-age players for the 2012 London Games.

European governing body UEFA wanted the change to ensure that top players stay with their clubs during preseason training. But FIFA’s executive committee decided on Thursday to retain the existing format for the next Olympics.

http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=ap-oly--fifa-olympics&prov=ap&type=lgns

Is this still happening? Is there any kind of TV coverage of this tournament (either in the US, Europe, Australia or Asia)?

It seems to be postponed ? I cant find any Olympic qualifiers on AFC Calendar for 2010

but there's a 3-stage qualification format in the AFC's 2011 and 2012 calendars.

Maybe AFC can use the Asian Games football tournament as qualification for the Olympic Games? It will save the top young Asian players from playing too many games...

Not all of AFC's teams play in the Asian Games.

any news on the olympic qual?

First round been rescheduled for 23. Feb and 9. March 2011


http://images.the-afc.com/Documents/2010/compcalendar2011.pdf

When was the last time an AFC team did well in the Olympics?

Japan Bronze medal 1968
Iraq 4th 2004
Japan 1/4 finals 2000
Korea Republic 1/4 finals 2004
Qatar 1/4 finals 1992

Your forgot India :- 1956 Olympics 4th place

Oh man, i just couldn't go that far back!!

But your right, 1956 in Melbourne. They beat the host's 4-2 before losing to Yugoslavia, which lets face it, would have been a strong team

Did this end up happening?

J

AFC needs to move fast and determine the qualifiers so national teams can organise themselves, I wonder when this will happen... Olympics is only 2 yrs away, and the qualifiers are yet to be determined..

Japan beat Brazil 1:0 in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics if I remember right. Brazil had Ronaldo, Juninho, Roberto Carlos etc in the team. It was the game that made goalkeeper Kawaguchi a household name in Japan.

Kuala Lumpur: FIFA has extended the deadline for submission of entries for the preliminary competition of the 2012 Olympic Football Tournament to May 10, 2010.

In a letter to the Member Associations, AFC has informed that the men’s and women’s Asian qualifiers will be planned based on the total number of entries confirmed by FIFA.

Member Associations who wish to participate in the preliminary competition and have not yet confirmed their participation have been advised to contact FIFA directly before the above deadline.

Detailed information on the Asian qualifiers will be provided to the confirmed participating Member Associations in due time.

http://www.the-afc.com/en/inside-afc/676-afc-news/28753-2012-olympics-entry-deadline-extended

That's good, so we should see the confirmed nations and the structure of the qualification very soon.

I would be interested to see which nations do not enter? would be disappointed if there are quite a few...

Nepal is the first country not to enter.

http://www.goalnepal.com/news.php?id=2083

Deadline was 10th May 2010, so AFC should have a format done by now??