Former All Whites captain Ryan Nelsen says New Zealand Football should continue to fight against disqualification from the Olympic Games.
Defender Deklan Wynne was declared ineligible during the Oceanic Olympic qualifying tournament in Port Moresby.
NZF confirmed on Monday they would appeal the decision that currently means they'll miss out on Rio next year.
Nelsen, 37, captained the All Whites at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic tournaments and he told Stuff.co.nz that NZF have "a duty of care to the players to take this (appeal) as far as they possibly can."
"It's devastating for the players, and not just for soccer. It's devastating for New Zealand sport, who won't have another Olympic team to follow," said Nelsen.