2016 Irish Paralympic Team Selection Principles

2016 IRISH PARALYMPIC TEAM SELECTION PRINCIPLES & CRITERIA Approved Version 3.0 (March 9th, 2016) 1 “The overarching aim of this document is to select a High Performance Team of athletes aiming to win multiple medals for Ireland at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro” Important Note: This document includes selection principles and criteria for the sports deemed highly likely to qualify athletes for the 2016 Irish Paralympic Team. Criteria for other sports qualifying athletes will be added at a later stage where necessary and will follow the same principles and processes for selection as detailed in this document. Note: Version 3.0 of this document approves the additional of selection criteria for the sport of Triathlon 2 Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………4 2.0 Selection Principles ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..5 3.0 Selection Process …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..7 4.0 Selection Timelines ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..8 5.0 Notes to Selection Criteria……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..9 6.0 Eligibility for Selection…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..11 7.0 Appeals…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………12 8.0 Sports Specific Selection Criteria: 8.1 Athletics…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..15 8.2 Canoeing………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….19 8.3 Cycling……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..21 8.4 Equestrian………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..27 8.5 Football 7-a-side………………………………………………………………………………………………………………31 8.6 Sailing……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...33 8.7 Shooting…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..35 8.8 Swimming………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..38 8.9 Table Tennis…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….41 8.10 Triathlon……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………43 3 1. INTRODUCTION The Paralympic Games take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil from the 7-18 September 2016. This major multisport event for athletes with impairments is hosted by ROCOG (Rio Organising Committee of Olympic Games) on behalf of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). As the recognised National Paralympic Committee for Ireland by the IPC, Paralympics Ireland is responsible for all aspects of the participation of the Irish Paralympic Team at Paralympic Games. This document outlines clearly to athletes and all stakeholders the means by which Paralympics Ireland will select the 2016 Irish Paralympic Team. This document is subject to the terms and conditions of the Rio 2016 Qualification Guide as published in January 2014 and amended from time to time. 4 2. SELECTION PRINCIPLES The selection of the athletes to represent Ireland at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games will where possible be conducted in accordance with the following underlying principles: 2.1 Performance – The selection of the Irish Team will be based on proven performance at major championships and other appropriate events. In some sports, criteria will benchmark performances across a range of sports classes and disciplines in order to ensure selection is fair and equitable to all aspiring team members. 2.2 Current Form – Athlete eligibility for selection will include the requirement for specific performance level no longer than 12 months prior to the date of the sports selection meeting. In some sports, this period maybe further reduced and specificed within their sports specific criteria below. 2.3 Objective decision making – Every effort has been made to ensure athletes are selected for Rio 2016 on the basis of ‘objective’ performance based criteria. Any potential conflict of interest within the selection process will be closely monitored by the CEO of Paralympics Ireland (whose decision is final) and the conflict resolved accordingly should one arise. 2.4 Maximise team size – It is Paralympics Ireland’s intention to send the largest possible team to compete at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. With the exception of Bipartite Commission Invitations (see below) Paralympics Ireland with the support of the relevant NGB, in the majority of cases, will seek to accept all athlete quota slots offered for the Games. 2.5 Age – Athletes must be at least 14 years of age on Sept. 7th, 2016. However, where International Federations or National Governing Bodies have a minimum age requirement greater than this, Paralympics Ireland will implement it accordingly. While the Paralympic Games welcomes youths with impairments, Paralympics Ireland in accordance with IPC policy will only send athletes adequately prepared for high performance competition to the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. 2.6 Gender – In sports where the athlete quota slots offered to Paralympics Ireland are gender specific, Paralympics Ireland will apply such quota restrictions on the selection process. As a consequence of these restrictions and to support 2.4 above, in some cases a lower ranked/performing athlete of one gender may be selected ahead of a higher ranked/performing athlete of the other gender. 2.7 Bipartite Commission Invitation acceptance – In sports where Bipartite Commission Invitations are available, the decision to apply for such an athlete quota slot, and if successful, it’s acceptance will solely be determined by Paralympics Ireland taking these selection principles into account. In addition, Paralympics Ireland will consider the following in determining if an application for such a slot will be submitted: 2.7a The athlete has proven ability to be competitive at the Rio 2016 Games 2.7b The athlete has not competed at a Paralympic Games before 5 2.7c The athlete has not had the opportunity to qualify through the normal qualification system due to injury, pregnancy, nationality dispute etc. 2.7d The athlete competes in a para sport deemed by Paralympics Ireland (at its discretion) to be in a development phase in Ireland 2.7e The athlete meets the Minimum Qualification Standard set by Paralympics Ireland relevant to their sport where appropriate 2.7f The athlete satisfies relevant eligibility criteria for selection as outlined in this document 2.7g If the athlete quota slot allocation for a particular sport is lower than the number of athletes on the senior panel in Ireland having achieved the relevant Paralympics Ireland qualifying standard, applications may be made by Paralympics Ireland (at its discretion) to boost the team size as per 2.4 above. 2.8 Classification Status – Paralympics Ireland will only select athletes appropriately classified in their respective sports in accordance with their sport’s eligibility requirements as published in the Rio 2016 Qualification Guide 2.9 NPC Selection Standards – In some sports Paralympics Ireland have set selection standards that are more challenging than the IPC Standards. This is to support 2.1 above. “The IPC recognises and respects the right of NPCs to establish national selection standards for determining an athlete’s or team’s qualification to compete in the Paralympic Games…………..All athletes and teams are equally subject to their respective NPC’s selection standards.” (Rio Paralympic Games Qualification Guide) 6 3.0 SELECTION PROCESS The selection of athletes to the 2016 Irish Paralympic Team will result from a graduated process of checks and balances to ensure the agreed criteria are applied correctly and to provide extra assurance to athletes that their selection is confirmed by a robust process. The publication of this document follows a lengthy process of discussion and engagement between the Board, staff and the NGB’s. The subsequent steps in the process are as follows (the timelines are sport specific and clearly documented in subsequent sections): Step 1: The Irish Qualification period closes Step 2: The Sports Selection Committee convenes and applies the agreed selection criteria for the sport. The chairperson of the selection committee issues the nomination along with the minutes of the meeting to the Selection Monitoring Group (Performance Director, Chef de Mission and CEO). Step 3: The Selection Monitoring Group will certify that the criteria have been applied correctly. If no certification is forthcoming, the selection committee will be requested to reconvene. Step 4: A recommendation to ‘provisionally’ ratify the nomination of the selection committee is issued to the Board of Directors by the Selection Monitoring Group. Step 5: The Board of Directors convene to ‘provisionally’ ratify the athletes. Step 6: Athletes are notified of their provisional selection subject to completion of the appeals period. Step 7: On completion of the appeals period (including completion of any appeal proceedings to Just Sport Ireland and any subsequent convening of the relevant sports selection committee, the Selection Monitoring Group or the Board of Directors), the President confirms in writing to athletes their selection for the 2016 Irish Paralympic Team. In exceptional circumstances, should the Selection Monitoring Group (at its discretion) determine that the agreed criteria were not applied, applied incorrectly, or for whatever reason were not able to be applied, the Selection Monitoring Group retain the right to: 1) Reconvene a selection meeting 2) Chair such a meeting 3) Apply new ‘emergency’ selection criteria if necessary to ensure the selection process is fair to all athletes on the official Paralympics Ireland panel seeking selection. 7 Irish Qualification Period Sports Selection Meeting Selection Monitoring Group Board of Directors

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