KEY POINTS:
After all the fuss over the Phoenix refusing to release two over-age players for the Olympic Games, none of the A-League club's players have made the cut for Beijing.
The Oly-Whites squad of 18 does not include either of the Phoenix players the club agreed to release, midfielder
Costa Barbarouses and striker Greg Draper.
The club refused to allow over-age pair defender Tony Lochhead and striker Shane Smeltz to be considered as it said it had already let three of their players - Barbarouses, Draper and Australian hopeful Troy Hearfield - be available. However, coach Stu Jacobs has plumped for Blackburn Rovers defender Ryan Nelsen, unattached midfielder Simon Elliott and Celtic striker Chris Killen as his three permissible selections over the tournament's under-23 age restriction.
Jacobs yesterday hinted that Lochhead and Smeltz were unlikely to be chosen anyway once the other three became available.
"The focus from day one has been getting the over-age players we wanted and I guess by getting them we've got a big piece of the jigsaw in place," he said yesterday.
Six players are current or former All Whites - the over-age trio and Steven Old, Jeremy Brockie and Daniel Ellensohn. Several others have American collegiate or professional experience.
Nelsen has been released only for the first two games, against China and favourites Brazil, but must return for the start of Blackburn's premier league campaign against Everton on August 16.
Hawkes Bay midfielder Cole Peverley turned 20 yesterday, and the naming was an ideal birthday present.
The women's Football Ferns include 13 players from Auckland clubs, the five exceptions including players based in Sweden, Germany and the US.
Former Arsenal striker Amber Hearn returns after a three-year absence. The women will be the first New Zealand Olympians in action, as the soccer programme begins before the opening ceremony on August 8.
* A 4 x 100m freestyle relay team has been added, bulging New Zealand's swimming contingent to 15.
The quartet of Cameron Gibson and William Benson (both North Shore), Mark Herring (West Auckland Aquatics) and Orinoco Faamausili-Banse (Mt Eden) will go after producing a New Zealand record 3min 17.45s at the Olympic trials.
The 12 quickest countries had automatically qualified. Four spots remained and New Zealand's time squeezed them in as 16th best.
* Waikato's Katie McVean proved equestrian riders don't need to be based overseas to win Olympic selection after being named in the four-strong showjumping team yesterday. McVean, 22, is the first New Zealand-based rider to be chosen for a Games since 1992.
The composition of the squad is balanced by seasoned Bruce Goodin, based in Sweden, who is off to his fourth Games, and Belgium-based Daniel Meech, who will be at his third event. American-based Sharn Wordley, another Games newcomer, completes the team.
