The president of football's governing body, Joseph Blatter, said Thursday that he hoped that the Olympic football tournament would be integrated into the international match calendar.

Blatter's call follows problems involving several European clubs, who were reluctant to release their players for the tournament and were told by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) that their interpretation of the rules was right.

"FIFA's position will at least be that we will go with under-23, but we shall put in in the international calendar to avoid any problems with the release of players.

"Under-23 is exactly where we want to be. You will see Nigeria's starting 11 have no over-age players. This is good and that's why it should be 23 and stop."

He is hoping that the decision to put the tournament into the international calendar is passed at the FIFA Congress at the end of May.

He also announced that FIFA will be meeting with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in October to discuss various issues around the football tournament.

"We will take decisions to better protect the Olympic tournament."

Currently the Olympic tournament is open for players under-23, with each team allowed to have three over-aged players, but IOC president Jacques Rogge has said he would like the Olympic tournament to be open to all players.

Earlier this month, Blatter told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa that it was not possible to include football in the international calendar as it includes just senior international matches and tournaments.

"There is also the problem that the Olympic tournament is held at different times, now it is in July, then in August and then in September."

Blatter said that attendance at the Olympic football tournament had reached an all-time high.

He said that, after the semi-finals, 1.9 million spectators had watched the games at the Olympics, with men's matches drawing an average of 41,900, while the women's matches were watched by 26,600 on average.

With the finals and bronze medal matches still outstanding, it was a near certainty that the 2 million barrier would be broken.

Asked why the attendance as higher when the competition was played outside Europe, Blatter said: "In Europe they are pampered by the big clubs."

Blatter also announced that he would be travelling to South Africa in September to meet with President Thabo Mbeki and discuss preparations for the 2010 World Cup.

He said that he would be in South Africa September 15-18, during which time he would have "several meetings" in order to get a picture of what the level of support for World Cup organizers will be following the April 2009 general election.

"It is important that the exiting and the new government stand behind the organizers," said the 72-year-old.

Blatter also intends meeting the head of the African National Congress (ANC), Jacob Zuma.

"We have to instill confidence in the participants," said Blatter, adding that he had full confidence in South Africa's ability to host the event despite fears about organization and security.

"They'll manage it very well," he said. "Show me a country where there is 100-per-cent security. Such problems happen everywhere."