MARSEILLE, August 6, 2008 (AFP) - The Nigerian Football Association has abandoned its efforts to secure Olympique Marseille defender Taye Taiwo for the country's team at Beijing, an official at the French club said Wednesday.

'We made it clear to the federation that it is an important period for us in the league and in the championship. On the other hand we promised to make every effort to release Taye for the (Nigeria) squad in the future,' Julien Fournier, the club's general secretary told AFP.

The 23-year-old from Lagos is a key defensive anchor in the French club's squad.

Marseille's imminent fixture list includes the Champions's League third qualifying round encounters on 13 and 27 August against Norway's Bergen, as well as OM's opening league game at Rennes on Saturday August 9.

The Taiwo case is one of several examples of players being sought for national squads at the Beijing Olympics against the wishes of their clubs.

However the employer's hand has been strengthened following a ruling on Wednesday by the Court of Arbitration in Sport that clubs are not obliged to release the players.