Former world No 1 Hamish Pepper fears New Zealand's hopes of an Olympic medal have been dealt a blow by a decision to make him sail off for the Laser spot in Athens.
Pepper was nominated for the New Zealand team after winning his class in the national trials off Aucklandin January.
However, the new Sports Disputes Tribunal on Wednesday upheld an appeal by fellow Olympic hopeful Andrew Murdoch against Pepper's nomination.
The tribunal agreed that Pepper's results last year did not meet one of Yachting New Zealand's nomination criteria - that sailors had to prove they were capable of achieving a top-10 finish at Athens.
It cancelled Pepper's nomination and directed that the top three place-getters at the trials - Pepper, runner-up Murdoch and former world champion Nik Burfoot - should sail at the world championships in May in Turkey.
YNZ should reconsider the Laser nomination after that regatta.
Pepper said he was "totally surprised" by the decision and believed that it called into question the need for selectors.
"It would have been better to name someone, either me or Andrew," he added.
"That way, New Zealand's chances of a medal would have been a lot higher. Right now, what's happened is detrimental to both of us."
Pepper said he would need to revise his preparation, which previously had been geared towards peaking for the Olympics.
