ISF WORLD SCHOOLS GAMES 2018 2nd – 9th May 2018, Marrakech, Morocco SELECTION POLICY ______

1. Event Performance Objective ▪ The objective for this event is to provide a meaningful and beneficial competitive opportunity in a multi-sports event to further the long-term development of Irish Performance Pathway athletes (born 2000, 2001, 2002 or 2003) towards senior international success at World Championship (2021 & 2023) and Olympic (2024) levels. Team Selections will be made taking into consideration: a. The long-term vision of the Swim Ireland Performance programme b. The development needs of individual athletes in terms of their potential to swim on the Ireland team at the 2020 & 2024 . Priority will be given to targeted athletes with Olympic Games 2020 medal potential c. The higher priority and needs of other international teams or squads selected by Swim Ireland in the 2018-2020 period d. The opportunity to maximise finalist placings and podium outcomes at the event

2. Selection Trials ▪ Selections will be made from Olympic individual event performances (detailed in Section 4), collectively known as the ‘Selection Trials’: a. LEN European Junior Championships held in Netanya in the period 28th June – 2nd July 2017 b. held in Nassau in the period 19th July – 22nd July 2017 c. Irish Age Groups & Summer Open held in Dublin in the period 19th July – 23rd July 2017 d. FINA World LC Championships held in Budapest in the period 23rd July – 30th July 2017 e. IOC European Youth Olympic Festival held in Gyor in the period 24th July – 28th July 2017 f. Slovenia Open Championships held in Kranj in the period 3rd August – 6th August 2017 g. FINA World Junior Championships held in Indianapolis in the period 23rd August – 28th August 2017

3. Team Size ▪ Up to a maximum of 8 athletes may be selected ▪ There is no obligation on Swim Ireland to select 8 athletes and the total team size will be subject to available funding and will determined by the National Performance Director

4. Athlete Selections (Individual Events)

Table 1 MALE FEMALE FEMALE Born 2000-2003 Event Born 2001-2003 Born 2000 Consideration Time Consideration Time Consideration Time 23.57 50m Freestyle 26.03 26.03 52.62 100m Freestyle 59.28 57.08 1:53.62 200m Freestyle 2:06.65 2:04.91 3:59.93 400m Freestyle 4:25.13 4:21.46 57.98 100m Backstroke 1:05.55 1:04.45 2:06.69 200m Backstroke 2:19.83 2:19.83 1:03.28 100m Breaststroke 1:12.25 1:11.25 2:19.90 200m Breaststroke 2:34.72 2:34.72 56.20 100m Butterfly 1:02.35 1:01.49 2:04.47 200m Butterfly 2:17.92 2:16.01 2:07.38 200m IM 2:20.73 2:20.73 4:36.78 400m IM 4:59.97 4:56.12

▪ To be eligible for consideration, athletes must record a time at the Selection Trials equal or better than the individual event Consideration Standards detailed in Table 1

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5. Athlete Selections (Relay Events)

Table 2 MALE FEMALE Born 2000-2003 Event Born 2000-2003 Consideration Consideration Time Time 3:25.97 400m Freestyle Relay 3:50.71 3:47.57 400m Medley Relay 4:15.69 Mixed Mixed Consideration Event Consideration Time Time 4:06.92 400m Medley Relay 4:06.92

▪ There is no obligation on Swim Ireland to select any relay teams ▪ To be eligible for consideration, the fastest four aggregated times recorded at the Selection Trials, when combined, will equal or better the Relay Consideration Standards detailed in Table 2. Relay Consideration Standards take a 1.5 second takeover differential into consideration ▪ If relay teams are selected, they will be selected at the discretion of the National Performance Director

6. Selection Procedure (Athletes) ▪ At the conclusion of the Selection Trials, those who have achieved the Consideration Standards outlined in section 4 will be considered by the National Performance Director for Selection to the National Selection Panel ▪ Subject to National Performance Director approval, any athlete selected for relay purposes only may also be considered for individual event Selections ▪ Subject to National Performance Director approval, any athlete selected may also be considered for non-Olympic individual and/or relay event Selections ▪ The decision of the National Selection Panel shall be final ▪ At his discretion, the National Performance Director reserves the right to make additional selections to the team from exceptional performances at the 2017 Irish National SC Championships and/or the 2017 LEN European SC Championships

7. Selection Procedure (Staff) ▪ Team staff (coaches and support staff) will be selected at the discretion of the National Performance Director. Selections will be reflective of the team size, the needs of the individual athletes and/or relays selected, as well as considering the optimum balance of the team as a whole ▪ Team Coaches will hold a Swim Ireland Coaching Licence and be holders of the Swim Ireland Level 3 Coaching Certificate or international equivalent or be enrolled on a Level 3 Coaches Course at the time of Selection ▪ Team Coaches will have been resident within Ireland for a minimum period of two years leading into Selection, unless employed or deployed by Swim Ireland

8. Eligibility Athletes must: ▪ Hold an Irish passport at the time of achieving a Consideration Standard ▪ Be an Irish citizen and eligible to represent Ireland as per FINA General Rule 2 (GR 2) ▪ Be a registered Swim Ireland member for the 2017-2018 season

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▪ Be enrolled as a full-time student at the school which they represent. They must be attending schools which provide a general education ▪ Have completed a Selection Acceptance Form to confirm they will be available to participate. Failure to do so will be interpreted as non-availability by Swim Ireland. Selection Acceptance Forms will be provided by Swim Ireland to selected team members ▪ Be available to fulfil National team commitments and, other than in exceptional circumstances, have accepted their place on the National Squad or their respective Regional Squad for the 2017-2018 season

9. Non-Eligibility The following athletes are not eligible to participate under ISF rules: ▪ Students of vocational schools who only attend that school as a complement to their vocational training ▪ School teams and pupils enrolled at schools which provide sports training without any general education ▪ Part-time (e.g. afternoon) sports schools which take pupils from a variety of schools for training in one or more sports ▪ Teams formed as part of clubs, companies, universities or other institutions.

10. Team Commitments Full team commitments will be confirmed following the Selection Procedure. All team members will be required to: ▪ Compete in the: a. 2018 Irish Summer National Championships in (as a minimum) their primary Olympic event b. 2018 FINA European Junior Championships (if selected) c. 2018 FINA European LC Championships (if selected) d. 2018 IOC World (if selected) ▪ Comply with the Athlete Commitment Agreement in the Swim Ireland Code of Conduct. A breach of the Swim Ireland Code of Conduct will result in de-Selection from the team ▪ Complete a Swim Ireland Medical Form and an OCI Athlete Agreement prior to competing at the event ▪ Commit to the values of the Swim Ireland National Squad Athlete Charter ▪ Comply with Swim Ireland and FINA swimwear regulations, including full compliance with Swim Ireland’s agreement with Arena ▪ Abide by the media protocols of both the Swim Ireland Performance programme and the OCI. Athletes must only speak to the media about their own performances. Coaches must only comment on performances of athletes in their group and support staff must not comment on the performance of any athlete. The National Performance Director and the National Head Coach may discuss performances of the entire team ▪ Make themselves available for all team activities designated by the National Performance Director (including, but not limited to, the Swim Ireland National Team Day, the OCI Team Day, preparation camps and staging camps) as part of or in addition to the National Squad or Regional Squad programme. No team member will be allowed to leave a National team camp or undertake any activities that are not directly relevant to the National team camp, including any external media, sponsor or social activities. Failure to attend the required activities could result in de-Selection to the team. Under exceptional circumstances, written approval to be excluded from activities can be given by the National Performance Director ▪ Not take holiday between the Sunday 3rd September 2017 and the 2018 World Schools Games Gymnasiade

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▪ Not attend overseas camps and/or competitions between the Selections Trials and the meet for which they have been selected without prior written approval from the National Performance Director ▪ Prove that they are ‘Fit to Compete’ at either the 2017 Irish SC National Championships or the 2017 LEN European SC Championships. ‘Fit to Compete’ will be determined by the NPD. Any athlete deemed ‘unfit to compete’ may be de-selected by Swim Ireland prior to the event

11. Team Uniform/Kit ▪ All Team uniform, kit and caps will be provided for and to the team by the ISF and/or Swim Ireland ▪ Racing suits will be provided for and to the team by Swim Ireland ▪ Athletes will be issued with one or more Arena racing suit/s. Athletes accepting suits must wear them (or another Arena suit) for all of their races. Athletes may exercise ‘freedom of choice’ in the wearing of a non-Arena suit, but such a suit must be unbranded

12. Withdrawals ▪ If for any reason an athlete is unable or unwilling to fully comply with the Team Commitments (section 8) they may be de-selected from the team ▪ Athletes becoming unfit due to illness or injury at any time following their Selection must notify the National Performance Director immediately and may be required to undertake a full medical examination by a Sport Ireland approved member of medical staff. This may result in such an athlete being de-selected from the team and such an instance will be determined by the National Performance Director ▪ Athletes may be subject to fitness (land/water) and/or medical tests at any time following their Selection. Any athletes judged to be unfit by Swim Ireland (following tests conducted by Swim Ireland) may result in such an athlete being de-selected from the team and will be determined by the National Performance Director

13. Replacements ▪ Replacements of athletes withdrawn from the team will be considered at the discretion of the National Performance Director if viewed to be in the best interest of the overall team performance

14. Amendments ▪ The Swim Ireland Senior Leadership Team may amend the Selection Policy provided reasonable notice is given to all athletes and coaches. Any amendments to the Selection Policy will be made and updated through the Swim Ireland website

15. Appeals ▪ Any appeals against Selections in relation to the Selection Policy must be made in accordance with the Swim Ireland Appeals Procedures, available by request via [email protected] ▪ Athletes should be aware of the time limits contained within the Procedures, which are designed with the intention of resolving issues expediently and fairly ▪ In the event of any conflict between Swim Ireland and OCI protocols, then OCI protocols shall take precedent

16. Queries ▪ Any queries should be directed to the Swim Ireland Performance Coordinator via [email protected]

Published: September 2017

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