The Scots won bronze in the team event at Manchester 2002 but injuries to Kirsteen McEwan and Yuan Wemyss have weakened the squad significantly.

However, Scotland will still nominate a squad of players to compete in some individual events.

"We have to be realistic," said a spokeswoman. "We're not as strong a team as we were in Manchester."

Players are very unhappy and a representative said: "We are incredibly disappointed and do not agree with the decision. We are considering our options."

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But the game's administrators insist the main focus is now on the 2007 World Mixed Team Championships for the Sudirman Cup in Glasgow and the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

"This was a very difficult decision for us to take and we have not done it lightly," added Badminton Scotland chief executive Anne Smillie.

"The board met and discussed the situation long and hard and consulted key partners before reaching the decision with great reluctance.

"We realise this will come as a big disappointment to several of the players who were looking forward to representing Scotland in Melbourne."