S.Korea cut Monaco’s Park from football squad

South Korea have dropped Monaco forward Park Chu-Young from their Asian Games football squad because the French team refused to release him, officials said.

Park was selected as a wild card for South Korea’s squad last month when coach Hong Myung-Bo announced a roster of 20 players.

But Monaco refused to release him for the Games, which start on November 12 in Guangzhou, the Korea Football Association said on Friday.

Clubs are not under obligation to release players for the Asian Games, which are not part of FIFA’s international match calendar.

Celtic midfielder Ki Sung-Yueng was also cut from the squad after the Scottish Premier League team refused to release him.

Gyeongnam FC midfielder Yoon Bitgaram, 20, who scored his first international goal on his debut against Nigeria in August, replaces Ki.

The Asiad’s football is limited to players aged 23 or under and allows only three wild cards per team who are exempt from the age restriction.