In the men's ongoing European Football Championship, the national team squads have been expanded from 23 to 26 players due to the corona pandemic.

In the women's Olympic tournament, the ceiling is set from the beginning to only 18 players.

Admittedly, four more reserves may be brought to Tokyo, but despite the pandemic, they can only be called in in the event of injury or illness.

It has caused the Swedish Football Association (SvFF) to act and several letters have been asked that the reserves should also be seen as part of the main squad, something that Aftonbladet was the first to report on.

Not given up

Sweden's national team manager Marika Domanski Lyfors has himself written directly to the one at the International Football Association (Fifa) who is responsible for the Olympic tournament.

In addition, SvFF has sent an official letter to Fifa, which has forwarded the matter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

So far, there is nothing to suggest that the IOC should listen to that ear, but Marika Domanski Lyfors has not given up, despite the fact that only six weeks remain until the Olympics.

- I received a reply from Fifa that it is up to the IOC.

And so far there are no plans to change that status.

But we'll see where we land.

The last word is probably not said, says Domanski Lyfors.

Reservations on site in Japan

- We want these four reserves to be included in the squad, so that you can use the whole squad with a view to recovery when it is such a situation as it is.

And when they are still in place.

Expanding the Olympic troops is not really a new wish from the Swedish side.

But the proposal has become particularly topical with covid-19, and also with the expected heat during the Olympics in mind.

There should be sufficient reasons to expand the squad to 22 players, says Domanski Lyfors.

The reserves will still be in place in Japan, and will be part of the Swedish national team bubble.

- You have to take different things into account and I have all the understanding for that.

But for many years we have thought that the troops have been far too small, says Marika Domanski Lyfors.