Open-water swimmer Kane Radford has been added to the New Zealand Olympic team after he successfully appealed his initial exclusion from the Rio Games.
Swimming New Zealand refused to nominate Radford on the grounds they didn't believe he was capable of achieving a top 16 finish and with the potential for a top eight finish.
Radford finished 19th at the final Olympic qualifying event in Portugal last month and 30th at the world champs in Russia.
Radford appealed the decision to the Sports Tribunal which upheld his complaint and referred the matter back to Swimming New Zealand, which subsequently nominated him. The New Zealand Olympic Committee then included him in the team for Rio.
Kane Radford Photo: Photosport
The Sports Tribunal referred the matter back to Swimming New Zealand on the grounds that it should consider the fact Radford was interfered with on the finishing strait of the Portugal event when he was coming 10th.
The tribunal also ruled the selectors should also have placed greater weight on Radford's performances at World Cup events and his third placing at the Pan Pacific championships.
Swimming New Zealand's High Performance development coach Donna Bouazaid should have also noted Radford could achieve a top 16 place and had an outside chance of making the top eight.
Radford is from Rotorua but is now based in Perth.
