BEIJING - Three European soccer clubs Wednesday won their appeal to keep their players out of the Olympic soccer tournament.

Barcelona's Lionel Messi (C) dribbles the ball past Dundee Utd players (in orange) in their pre-season friendly soccer match at Tannadice Park, Dundee, Scotland, July 26, 2008. [Agencies]

The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that Lionel Messi of Argentina and Diego and Rafinha, both of Brazil, can be withheld from the Beijing Games. Soccer's governing body previously ruled the players must be released for the Olympics because they are under 23.

Messi plays for FC Barcelona, Diego for Werder Bremen and Rafinha for Schalke.

CAS secretary-general Matthieu Reeb said the ruled for the clubs because the Olympic tournament is not on FIFA's match calendar, and because there was no evidence FIFA's executive board obliged the clubs to release the players.

FIFA ruled July 30 that the players must be released for the Olympic tournament because they are under 23.

The men's soccer tournament starts Thursday, a day before the opening ceremony. The women's tournament started Wednesday.

"This decision does not affect the eligibility status of the players who have been validly entered by their national Olympic committee and who remain fully eligible to compete" in the Beijing Olympics, CAS said.

The three-member panel of the top court of international sports consisted of Efraim Barak of Israel and Michele Bernasconi and Ralph Zloczower, both of Switzerland.

"FIFA is surprised and disappointed by this decision, but we respect it," FIFA president Sepp Blatter said in a statement. "Nevertheless, I appeal to the clubs: 'Let your players take part in the Olympic Games. It would be an act of solidarity in perfect harmony with the Olympic spirit.'"

FIFA said Blatter sent a message to the three teams appealing for them to let the players compete.