New Zealand says won't appeal Olympic exclusion

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand will not take the Oceania Football Confederation's decision to exclude its men's football team from next year's Rio de Janeiro Olympics to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, New Zealand Football said on Friday.

(Reuters)

"Despite legal advice recommending an appeal on a number of grounds on the specific case of the disqualification, we have taken the view not to proceed," NZF President Deryck Shaw said in a statement.

The New Zealand men's under-23 side were disqualified just hours before the final of Oceania's Olympic qualifying tournament in July for fielding an ineligible player.

The OFC last month rejected an appeal against the decision to disqualify New Zealand for selecting South Africa-born defender Deklan Wynne.

(Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by Nick Mulvenney)