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Men's sailboarding gets underway at London Olympics - Source: AAP -
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The International Sailing Federation says it's "extremely disappointed" by the legal challenge made by the International RS:X Class Association against the decision to drop windsurfing for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
The sport's world governing body announced in May that the class would be replaced by kiteboarding after London 2012.
The decision was met by surprise and frustration within the windsurfing fraternity - including New Zealand, which boasts a proud Olympic and world-championship record in the event - and has been challenged by the International RS:X Class Association.
"ISAF intends to fully defend the decision of the ISAF council," the ISAF said in a statement today.
"ISAF expects the normal submission process to be used in order to ask council to reconsider its decisions and therefore ISAF is extremely disappointed that this course of action has been taken.
"Initiating legal action in the middle of the Olympic Games might damage not only the performance of the affected sailors, but also the reputation of sailing in general."
New Zealand has won a total of seven Olympic medals in sailboarding, including golds to Bruce Kendall (1988), sister Barbara Kendall (1992) and Tom Ashley (2008). Jon-Paul Tobin currently lies sixth in the men's RS-X class at London.