Andre Bikey has vowed to battle for his place in the Reading team this season after committing to Cameroon's Olympic Games challenge.The 23-year-old is currently playing in the ING Cup in Hong Kong ahead of this month's Games in Beijing, which are set to rule the defender out of the first month of the Royals' Championship campaign.

With Reading set to begin their bid for an instant return to the Premier League at Nottingham Forest on August 10, Bikey could be ruled out until the meeting with Crystal Palace at the Madejski Stadium at the end of the month.

"All the players who play in Europe have missed out on having a pre-season so these Games are like a pre-season for us," said the former Lokomotiv Moscow defender.

"But returning to our clubs and going straight back into the first 11 will not be so easy as the coach will work with the players who he has.

"This tournament only lasts for four weeks and the league season lasts eight months, but everything is important as we aim to win, gain experience and play at a higher level."

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