Raguz fails to overturn ban

National judo champion Rebecca Sullivan remained in the Australian Olympic team on Wednesday after rival Angela Raguz lost an appeal she had taken to a state court.

Sullivan was not originally selected for next month's Sydney Games but won an appeal against that decision with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Melbourne.

This prompted Raguz to launch her own court action after Sullivan had become the first Australian athlete to win a CAS appeal to gain selection for Sydney.

The full bench of the New South Wales state Court of Appeal dismissed Raguz's case on Wednesday.

CAS lawyers argued that athletes had signed documents undertaking not to pursue disputes over nomination or selection in a higher court.

In a case with widespread implications for 47 other athletes who have appealed about team selections, the CAS decision was upheld two days before the Australian Olympic Committee was due to forward team selections to the International Olympic Committee.

Outside the court, Sullivan said she was relieved the five-month ordeal was over.

"It's a wonderful thing and I'm finally going to get to the Games," she said.

"It's been a very sort of long-winded affair right from the start and I'm just relieved it's all over and it went in my favour.

"I don't think either of us hold a personal grudge against each other. We both wanted to get the Games."

Raguz was not available for comment.