It is his response to criticism last week from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge over proposals to change its age limit to admit only under-21 men's teams.

 

The latest plan would mark a return to the format employed at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics.

 

Blatter said he and FIFA vice president Issa Hayatou, the head of the Confederation of African Football, will be part of a task force that will discuss the plan.

 

Blatter and Hayatou are both members of the IOC.

 

Blatter had initially suggested reducing the present under-23 limit for London 2012, but Rogge said that would affect the quality of the Olympic competition and raised the prospect of cutting the tournament size.

 

Rogge said that he is happy with the present format which also allows three over-aged players to take part but Blatter appears determined to change it.

 

He said: "Everybody can play unless they have been in the World Cup.

 

"At that time, it was with the exception of Africa and Asia, but now it must be for everybody.

 

"There will be no limit, but there will be not the best players.

 

"There will be, let us say, an opportunity for other players to come out."

 

FIFA's ruling Executive Committee recently said it wanted to limit the tournament to players 21 and under, or eliminate the rule on allowing three players over 23.

 

Rogge told Blatter that the IOC would respond by reducing the number of teams.

 

Blatter said: "Jacques Rogge is defending his event and football at the Olympics is very important.

 

"But he thinks if we go from [under] 23 to [under] 21, it will diminish the quality.

 

"This we are not so sure, but that doesn't matter.

 

"Personally, I think that with [under] 23 we have made good experiences, without additional players.

 

"This will be then the discussion: [under] 21 or 23, or perhaps going back to the system we have used in 1984 in Los Angeles and '88 in Seoul."