Ineligible: Olympian Michael Diamond outside Raymond Terrace Courthouse Credit:Simone De Peak "The incident involving Michael Diamond has, in our view, put our sport in a position which is inappropriate," Shooting Australia chief executive Damien Marangon said. "When looking at the AOC's selection and nomination criteria it was clear to us that Michael was ineligible to be nominated." Marangon said a "range of factors" had informed the decision, though he did not elaborate on what they were. "We sit here with really heavy hearts," he said.

"Michael is a champion of our sport, so this decision was clearly not an easy one. "But it's important to know that all of us - the AOC and Shooting Australia - will continue to support Michael as we have. "And Shooting Australia in particular will continue to now support Michael through what will be a really difficult period of time." The decision comes after Hockeyroos star Anna Flanagan was given the all clear last week to compete in Brazil despite failing to disclose a drink-driving conviction. But Australian Olympic boss Kitty Chiller said every case was treated on its own merits.

"And in this case the AOC decided to not exercise its right to excuse the breaches based on Shooting Australia's advice that they would not be nominating Michael," Chiller said. Diamond, who has been contacted for comment, has 48 hours to appeal. His lawyer William John Wilcher declined to comment on whether his client intended to do so. But his exclusion opens the way for teenage star Mitchell Iles, who had lodged an appeal over the selection of Diamond and Adam Vella to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. That challenge was heard last week, with a decision imminent.

Earlier on Thursday, Diamond declared he was "totally innocent" of all charges and vowed to "fight it all the way". He also denied having a drinking problem, saying he was celebrating his birthday at the time of the alleged offences and "if you can't have a drink on your birthday then what has Australia come to?" Diamond wanted to become just the second Australian to compete at seven Olympics, a milestone that equestrian great Andrew Hoy reached at London in 2012. A shot at winning a third gold medal was his "life". "It's everything for me," he said.

"If I can compete at my seventh Olympics Games and possibly win another Olympic gold medal - and I have the capabilities of doing that - that puts me in the Dawn Fraser status." AAP