Mills accepts defeat in Olympics row

Olympics: Joanna Mills will not appeal her exclusion from the Irish Olympic team with the Court of Arbitration for Sport

Olympics:Joanna Mills will not appeal her exclusion from the Irish Olympic team with the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Catriona Cuddihy will now race for Ireland in the 4x400m relay in London, despite having posted slower times than the Antrim athlete.

Mills announced her decision on Twitter today, saying: "I've decided that even though I may have grounds to win the appeal I'm not going to take it to CAS! I wish the 4x4 success at #london2012."

The 19-year-old was included on the team at the expense Cuddihy after successfully appealing her initial omission with Athletics Ireland.

Mills has a better season’s best and personal best than Cuddihy, but the latter’s counter-appeal with the Olympic Council of Ireland saw her reinstated.

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Having been jilted, Mills suggested yesterday she may take her case to the CAS but has instead opted to accept the decision and stand aside, two days ahead of the opening ceremony for London 2012.

Cuddihy’s original selection was based on a number of different criteria, including experience at major championships.

An OCI statement read: “The appeal tribunal found that process for the original selection by the AI high performance relay selectors had been carried out in a fair and proportionate manner. The AIAP in reaching its decision differed with the interpretation of the selectors in the application of two of the eight selection criteria for the women’s relay team on the grounds that their application had been too narrowly applied.”