Bob Yari has lost an appeal seeking a retroactive Oscar for producing 2005's Crash, Variety reports.

Yari filed a suit against the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences (AMPAS) and the Producers Guild of America (PGA) because he lost out on an Oscar when Crash won the Best Picture prize in 2005.

Academy rules were changed the year of Crash's victory to limit the number of producers awarded an Oscar. Co-writer and director Paul Haggis and Cathy Schulman were nominated, while Yari, who produced and backed the film financially, was not.

Regarding Yari's appeal rejection, Bruce Davis from AMPAS said: "It is not a surprise to us, but it is nice to be assured that the courts don't want to be in the business of deciding who wins an Academy Award."

Yari had accused AMPAS and PGA of damaging his reputation by denying him an Oscar.

Speaking about his appeal loss, the producer said: "It is unfortunate that the court has decided the law will not provide any due process protection - on a very publicly visible organization which represents our industry - to decisions on qualifications based on solid standards."

However, Yari, who has also produced The Illusionist and Factory Girl, is pleased that the Academy may show more leeway in awarding producer Oscars in the future.

"I am encouraged that the Academy, on its own accord, has taken steps to distance itself from the arcane and unfair process that was arbitrarily created by the PGA before Crash was submitted for awards consideration."