COMMONWEALTH YOUTH GAMES 2017 BAHAMAS, 19TH – 23RD JULY

NOMINATION AND SELECTION POLICY

1. NOMINATION COMPETITIONS

1.1 Performances from the following competitions will be considered in the nomination of swimmers to Commonwealth Games Wales (CGW) for selection to Team Wales for the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games.  British Championships 2017 (18th – 23rd April)  Swim Wales Long Course Championships 2017 (14th – 17th April)

2. TEAM SIZE

2.1 As a Commonwealth Youth Team, the focus is on a team with medal winning potential. The overall size of the swimming team will be determined by CGW following nominations by Swim Wales.

2.2 Up to a maximum of two swimmers per individual event can be selected.

3. AGE CRITERIA 3.1 Males aged 15-18 years and Females aged 14-17 years (age as of 31st December 2017) are eligible for selection.

4. ATHLETE NOMINATION PROCESS

3.1 A ranking list will be compiled for all Commonwealth Youth Games 2017 individual events following the final nomination competition based on the fastest single performance from the competitions listed in 1.1. Heat, semi-final and final performances will be used in this process.

3.2 The first ranked swimmer in each individual event will be nominated, subject to the athlete recording a time that equals or betters the qualifying time listed in Table 1 from the selection competitions.

3.3 The second ranked swimmer in each individual event will also be nominated, subject to the athlete recording a time that equals or betters the qualifying time listed in Table 1 in the selection competitions.

3.4 In the event of a tie (equal 1st or 2nd or where two or more swimmers are ranked on the same time) the swimmers’ second ranked time will be considered.

3.5 The National Performance Director may, at his complete discretion, and subject to available team space, nominate a swimmer that does not achieve the nomination standard if:

(a) The swimmer can demonstrate that illness/injury has significantly hampered their performance at the designated nomination competitions and has equalled or bettered the nomination standard in the period 1st January 2017 – 14th April 2017.

(b) The swimmer has performed within 1.0% of the nomination standard during the designated nomination competitions.

3.6 Only individual events will be considered in the nomination process.

TABLE 1: NOMINATION STANDARDS

MALE EVENT FEMALE 23.53 50 FREESTYLE 25.94 52.06 100 FREESTYLE 57.49 1:54.42 200 FREESTYLE 2:06.47 4:02.38 400 FREESTYLE 4:26.56 800 FREESTYLE 9:09.16 16:04.21 1500 FREESTYLE 26.62 50 BACKSTROKE 29.91 57.47 100 BACKSTROKE 1:04.85 2:06.27 200 BACKSTROKE 2:17.82 29.49 50 BREASTSTROKE 32.90 1:03.82 100 BREASTSTROKE 1.11.79 2:18.53 200 BREASTSTROKE 2:33.62 24.97 50 BUTTERFLY 27.44 55.53 100 BUTTERFLY 1:02.01 2:05.86 200 BUTTERFLY 2:17.85 2:07.43 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY 2:20.82 4:33.07 400 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY 4:59.52

4. STAFF SELECTION PROCESS

4.1 The final complement of swimming team staff attending the Games will depend upon team numbers and composition and will be determined by CGW in consultation with Swim Wales.

4.2 A Team Manager will be appointed by CGW in consultation with Swim Wales.

4.3 The Head Coach will be selected by the Swim Wales National Performance Director.

4.4 Following the completion of the swimmer selection process, coaching staff will be appointed to the Commonwealth Youth Games Swimming Team by the Swim Wales National Performance Director in consultation with CGW.

4.5 Confirmed coaches will be expected to play a full part in the preparation of the Team as identified by the Swim Wales National Performance Director.

4.6 Only coaches based in Wales will be considered for selection.

4.7 Coaches must hold the minimum of a UKCC level 3 qualification or equivalent.

SELECTION POLICY GENERAL CONDITIONS

A. ELIGIBILITY

A1. Be a British citizen and eligible to represent Wales as per the Commonwealth Games rules. CGW in consultation with the Commonwealth Games Federation will decide on any question of eligibility and the Commonwealth Games Federation’s decision shall be final.

A2. Be a Swim Wales registered swimmer.

A3. Have completed a Selection Acceptance Form to confirm they will be available to participate by the deadline to be imposed by Swim Wales. Failure to do so will be interpreted as non- availability by Swim Wales. Selection Acceptance Forms will be provided by Swim Wales to qualifying team members.

A4. Be available to fulfil all team commitments from the time of nomination through to the Games.

A5. Comply with any other Commonwealth Games Federation eligibility criteria from time to time, including in respect of nationality and/or anti-doping.

B. TEAM COMMITMENTS

B1. Comply with the Swim Wales Code of Conduct. A breach of the Swim Wales Code of Conduct may result in de-selection from the team.

B2. Adhere to all prescribed travel arrangements which might involve different travel dates to other members of the team.

B3. Abide by media protocols of the Swim Wales Programme and CGW. Athletes must only speak to the media about their own performances and group coaches must only comment on performances of swimmers in their group. The National Performance Director may discuss performances of the entire team. Swimmers must not publicise any information in relation selection-related matters until authorised to do so by the Team Leader.

B4. Make themselves available for all team activities designated by the National Performance Director (including but not limited to preparation camps and staging camps). No team member will be allowed to leave a national team camp or undertake any activities that are not directly relevant to the team camp programme; this includes any external media, sponsor or social activities. Failure to attend the required activities could result in withdrawal from the team following consultation with CGW. Under exceptional circumstances, written approval to be excluded from activities may be given by the National Performance Director.

B5. Comply with Swim Wales, FINA and Team Wales swimwear regulations whilst competing at the Commonwealth Youth Games 2017.

C. WITHDRAWALS AND REPLACEMENTS

C1. If for any reason a swimmer is unable or unwilling to fully comply with the Team Commitments they may be withdrawn from the team following consultation with CGW.

C2. Swimmers becoming unfit due to illness or injury at any time following their nomination by Swim Wales and prior to the end of the registration process (date) must notify Swim Wales immediately and will be required to undertake a full medical examination (which may include fitness (land/water) and/or medical tests) by Medical staff. This may result in the swimmer being de-selected from the team at the complete discretion of the National Performance Director following consultation with CGW.

C3. Replacement of swimmers withdrawn from the team prior to the end of the registration process will be considered at the complete discretion of the National Performance Director following consultation with CGW if viewed to be in the best interest of the overall team performance. Where athletes are de-selected from the Team following the end of the registration process, any replacement decisions shall be made at the discretion of CGW (in consultation with the National Performance Director) in accordance with the Commonwealth Games Federation Late Athlete Replacement Policy.

D. NOMINATION AND APPEALS PROCESS

D1. The Swim Wales National Performance Director will nominate swimmers to CGW for selection to the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games in accordance with the nomination process and standards detailed in section 3. The list of nominees will be submitted to CGW on the 31ST April 2017.

D2. The list of nominees will be confirmed on the 24th April 2017, following the final day of nomination competition on the 23rd April 2017.

D3. Following confirmation of the list of nominees, the Swim Wales National Performance Director will contact, via email and in confidence, those swimmers who are to be nominated to CGW for selection. This will be done by 6pm on the 25th April 2017.

D4. Swimmers who do not receive an email from the National Performance Director by 6pm on the 25th April 2017 should consider themselves as not being included in the list of nominations to CGW. Confirmation of this can be sought by emailing the Swim Wales National Performance Director.

D5. Those swimmers who are not included in the list of nominations to CGW will have the right to appeal their non-nomination. Appeals shall only be considered if they address the selection process, clarification of fact or provide new and relevant information / evidence. Grounds for appeal do not include; eligibility, health, or performances achieved outside the selection competitions.

D6. All appeals must be received, in writing by email, including the grounds upon which the appeal is made, to the Swim Wales National Performance Director by 12.00 midday on 28th April 2017. Any appeals will be passed directly onto the Appeals Official for review, and in all instances, Swim Wales will respond in writing by email to the swimmer by 1200 midday on the 30th April, notifying them of the outcome of the Appeal Process.

D7. Following nominations by Swim Wales on the 31st April 2017, the CGW selection panel will meet to consider the nominations and will thereafter make recommendations to the CGW Board, who will confirm the team selection.

D8. Swim Wales will confirm, by email, both selection and non-selection to nominated swimmers.

D9. Nominations must be kept confidential until CGW have completed their selection process. Nominated / non-nominated swimmers are not permitted to make any announcements to the media or general public in any form whatsoever (including any social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook) of their possible confirmed selection or non-selection prior to the official team announcement by the CGW of such selection. Breach of this clause may impact on a swimmers selection or appeal.

D10. Final selection to the team is dependent on receipt of relevant information required by CGW.