BEIJING, August 4, 2008 (AFP) - The International Tennis Federation (ITF) on Monday said it was 'very disappointed' after Germany's Rainer Schuettler successfully appealed for late entry to the Olympics.

The world governing body said the Court of Arbitration in Sport (CAS) ruling could set an unwelcome precedent with Schuettler allowed to compete despite missing the initial ranking requirements.

'The ITF is very disappointed with the decision and feels that the precedent set today could ultimately harm the rights of international federations,' the body said in a statement.

'It is very disturbing for the ITF, and should be for the IOC, when players who do not meet the ITF qualification criteria, approved by the IOC, are entered at the expense of players who qualified and deserve to represent their countries at the 2008 Olympic Games.'

Schuettler was left off the Olympic roster as he was outside the top 56 when it was drawn up.

However, his ranking shot up to 34 after his shock run to the Wimbledon semi-finals.

Germany selected Schuettler for their Olympic team although both Denis Gremelmayr and Michael Berrer were ranked higher on the June 9 entry deadline.

Despite the controversy Schuettler, who won a silver medal in the doubles with Nicolas Kiefer at the Athens Olympics in 2004, said he was delighted to be playing in China.

'I heard the decision from my lawyer that the CAS court in Beijing had decided to let me compete and I am very happy to be able to go to an Olympic Games,' he said.

'I have already been congratulated by Dr Thomas Bach, president of the German Olympic Sports Federation, and I am looking forward to joining the team in China.'

The ITF added that the decision was a setback for the credibility of the system of selection.

'The ITF believes that a transparent and consistent system of entry is the only possible way for tennis as an Olympic Sport to have credibility with players and fans,' the ITF statement added.

'Every tennis event around the world uses the world ranking as the basis for entry and the ITF finds it difficult to accept that criteria can be changed from country to country depending on the views of particular National Olympic Committees.'