New Delhi: Four Dempo Sports Club footballers didn’t join the national camp which started in Goa on Thursday.

According to Dempo sources, the quartet — Mahesh Gawli, Climax Lawrence, Samir Naik and Clifford Miranda — had not received any instruction from their club management to join the camp and hence decided to stay away.

Citing Fifa regulations, Dempo coach Armando Colaco had maintained last week that he would not release his players for the exposure trip to Dubai. “I will release my players for World Cup qualifiers but not for exhibition matches in Dubai,” he said.

A Dempo official confirmed that players would report for club training on Friday morning. “As of now, the players have not been released for the camp,” he said.

While camp officials on Thursday expressed hope that the players would be available for the camp, the Dempo coach refused comment on the issue.

All players based in Calcutta, except Subrata Paul, have already joined the camp. The goalkeeper is likely to arrive in Goa on Saturday.