Another row is brewing over next year’s 2012 Olympic football tournament, with Europe’s top clubs insisting their players must not be forced to compete in more than one major competition per season.

The European Club Association, 136 of whose 197 members attended their general assembly in Geneva, says expecting its leading performers to take part in Euro 2012, followed quickly by the London Games, is asking too much.

ECA vice-president Umberto Gandini feels the timescale between the two summer tournaments is too short to expect clubs to release elite players for both events.

“We do not think it is appropriate that European players will play in the European Championship and then some of the same players will be involved in the Olympics in London a few weeks later,” he said.

“It does not make sense for a club player to be involved in two major tournaments in such a short period of time. We have appealed to UEFA to say that if a player is selected for Euro 2012, he should not be selected for the Olympics.”

Manchester United chief executive David Gill, an ECA board member, agreed.

“A player who is in the squad for Euro 2012 should not then be in the Olympic squad. Football is a key part of the Olympics and we are very happy to participate as a league and release players, and we support it but I hope that common sense will prevail,” Gill said.