Performance Enhancement Grants Programme Guidelines 20 December 2012
1. INTRODUCTION 1.1. This document outlines High Performance Sport New Zealand s (HPSNZ) Performance Enhancement Grants (PEGs) programme guidelines. 1.2. The PEGs programme is aligned to the HPSNZ Investment Framework and ultimately the HPSNZ Strategic Plan. 1.3. These guidelines are effective from 1 January 2013. 2. BACKGROUND 2.1. HPSNZ Vision More New Zealanders winning on the world stage At Olympic/Paralympic Games and World Championships in targeted sports 2.2. HPSNZ Overall Investment Principles a. Our goal is a performance-based system that is accountable for outcomes. b. Resources and performance support will be allocated on a top down, targeted basis focusing on those sports, individuals and teams that have the greatest chance of winning medals at the next Olympic Games (gold medals for the Paralympic Games) and beyond (multiple Olympic medals and multiple Paralympic gold medals will be the priority). c. Resources and performance support for non-olympic targeted sports will be assessed on a case by case basis in relation to their ability to win at World Championships. d. Investments will also be considered for sports that have specific campaigns and individuals that, based on current evidence, are deemed to have medal potential. e. Investment will be made based on demonstrated need where it is clear that it will improve performance of the targeted sports and athletes. 2.3. HPSNZ Overall Investment and Support Priorities Sports and athletes that have medal potential at the Olympic Games (Summer and Winter). Non-Olympic targeted sports that can win at World Championships. Sports and athletes that have gold medal potential at the Paralympic Games (Summer and Winter). 2.4. HPSNZ Areas of Athlete Support HPSNZ in conjunction with agreed Targeted Sports and Campaign Investment Sports may provide identified athletes (those athletes who meet specific stipulated criteria in each of the respective HPSNZ athlete support programmes) with access to: Agreed levels of athlete performance support delivered through HPSNZ, and other agreed benefits through the Athlete Carding programme; 2 / 8 Performance Enhancement Grants
Financial assistance to allow athletes to train and compete at a world level in the way of PEGs; Prime Minister s Athlete Scholarship to provide support for vocational / tertiary education. 3. AIMS OF THE PEGS PROGRAMME The PEGs programme is to provide our targeted athletes and teams with direct financial support to enable them to train fulltime, in order to maximise their international performances. 4. PEGS ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA 4.1. PEGs are available to athletes and teams within PEGs Qualifying Sports who achieve the agreed performance standards in PEGs Qualifying Events. 4.2. PEGs Qualifying Sports may include: a. HPSNZ Targeted Sports; b. Olympic Sports who receive HPSNZ Campaign Investment; c. Other sports or athletes at the discretion of HPSNZ. 4.3. PEGs Qualifying Events are to be agreed in advance between the PEGs Qualifying Sports and HPSNZ, and are defined as: a. The highest standard of world competition in the sport i.e. World Championships or Olympic Games within a calendar year; b. In specific cases, other agreed key international events within the years that do not contain World Championships or Olympic Games. 4.4. Teams of nine or fewer athletes that compete in sports with multiple medal opportunities per gender will be treated as an individual sport e.g. cycling team pursuit, swimming relay, rowing eight. 4.5. HPSNZ will agree with team PEGs Qualifying Sports prior to PEGs Qualifying Events on the squad size eligible to be considered for PEGs payments should they achieve the appropriate performance standard. Additionally, team PEGs Qualifying Sports will be required to agree their PEGs disbursement plans prior to PEGs Qualifying Events. 4.6. PEGs payments will be awarded at the sole discretion of HPSNZ. 5. PEGS ELIGIBILITY RESTRICTIONS 5.1. Athletes are only eligible to be assessed against one PEGs Qualifying Event per annum. 5.2. Athletes who compete for New Zealand in more than one discipline or sport that have PEGs Qualifying Events will only be eligible to receive one PEG being the one that provides the athlete with the highest award. 3 / 8 Performance Enhancement Grants
5.3. It is expected that individuals or teams must finish in the top half of their field at the PEGs Qualifying Event, unless a qualification series was held to limit the field size, or at the discretion of HPSNZ. 5.4. The following athletes are not eligible to receive PEGs: a. Age group (including masters) athletes or teams; b. Athletes in non-olympic events within agreed PEGs Qualifying Sports. 6. PEGS AWARD LEVELS Athletes who comply with the PEGs Eligibility Criteria and achieve these stated perfromance standards will be considered for the following PEGs award levels: Sport Olympic Individual Olympic Team Performance Standard at PEGs Qualifying Event Award Level (before taxes) Gold Medallist $60,000 Medallist $55,000 4 th to 6 th Placing $47,500 7 th to 8 th Placing $40,000 9 th to 12 th Placing $30,000 13 th to 16 th Placing $25,000 Gold Medallist $35,000 Medallist $30,000 4 th to 8 th Placing $25,000 Non-Olympic Individual Medallist $25,000 Non-Olympic Team Medallist $25,000 7. EXTENUATING OR SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES 7.1. HPSNZ may consider PEGs applications from PEGs Qualifying Sports on behalf of athletes that do not meet the PEGs eligibility and performance criteria due to extenuating circumstances (such as injury or illness). 7.2. HPSNZ may also consider PEGs applications from PEGs Qualifying Sports on behalf of athletes that the sport believes should be considered for PEGs support due to the special nature of the athlete and/or their circumstances. 7.3. Any PEGs granted due to extenuating or other special circumstances will be at the sole discretion of HPSNZ. 4 / 8 Performance Enhancement Grants
8. PEGS NOMINATING PROCESS 8.1. Annually HPSNZ will confirm all PEGs Qualifying Sports. 8.2. PEGs Qualifying Sports will nominate their PEGs Qualifying Events to HPSNZ for agreement prior to the event, and ideally up to 4 years in advance. 8.3. PEGs Qualifying Sports must nominate eligible athletes using the PEGs Nomination Form which can be accessed on www.hpsnz.org.nz/athletes-funding/performanceenhancement-grants 8.4. Nominations must be received by HPSNZ within three months of the completion of the PEGs Qualifying Event. 8.5. All PEGs nominations will be considered, with any contentious nominations referred to a moderation panel within HPSNZ, with the final decision at the sole discretion of HPSNZ. 9. TENURE OF PEGS 9.1. In most cases PEGs awards cover a 12-month period or between PEGs Qualify Events as agreed by the NSO and HPSNZ. 9.2. In special cases multi-year PEGs will be considered (see below). 10. MULTI-YEAR PEGS 10.1. Multi-year PEGs are to provide long term support to athletes with a history of medal winning success on the world stage that are focussed and capable of a medal winning performance at Olympic Games. 10.2. The guidelines for multi-year PEGs are as follows: a. Summer Olympic Sports specifics: i. The duration of a multi-year PEG can be up to 4 years, but can only extend as far as the Rio Olympic Games in 2016. The duration will be based on agreement between the NSO and HPSNZ; ii. For year one of the Olympic cycle (2013), recipients must have medalled at the London Olympic Games; iii. From year two of the Olympic cycle, recent multiple world championship medallists (i.e. no further back than previous Olympic cycle) are also eligible. 5 / 8 Performance Enhancement Grants
b. Winter Olympic Sports specifics: i. Multi-year PEGs will only be considered post the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games; ii. The duration of a multi-year PEG can be up to 4 years, but can only extend as far as the PyeongChang Olympic Games in 2018. The duration will be based on agreement between the NSO and HPSNZ; iii. For year one of the Olympic cycle (2015), recipients must have medalled at the Sochi Olympic Games; iv. From year two of the Olympic cycle, recent multiple world championship medallists (i.e. no further back than previous Olympic cycle) are also eligible. c. Multi-year PEGs will be reviewed at a period no longer than 2 years by HPSNZ against the objectives outlined in the athlete s individual performance plan (IPP). If the athlete is no longer on track to deliver a medal winning performance at the next Olympic Games, then the multi-year PEG will be reviewed (with the potential for the PEG to be reduced or cancelled). d. Multi-year PEGs will be guaranteed at the level at which the PEG was earned, however, if performance improves over the course of the PEG (e.g. from the medallist level to the world champion level) the PEG will be increased accordingly. e. All applications for multi-year PEGs must be submitted and endorsed by the NSO with the athlete s IPP included in the application. f. HPSNZ may consider discretionary applications for athletes with a history of world championship or Olympic success for whom extenuating circumstances prevented them from winning a medal at the most recent Olympics. 11. PEGS PAYMENTS TO ATHLETES 11.1. PEGs will be paid by HPSNZ to the NSO of the PEGs Qualifying Sport on a monthly basis. 11.2. NSO s are required in most cases to pay the eligible athlete the total value of the PEGs (less any applicable tax). 11.3. However in specific cases PEGs may be used to offset athlete allowances paid by a NSO but only on the prior agreement of HPSNZ. Additionally, the NSO must reinvest the amount saved as a direct result of PEGs into the NSO s high performance programme. 11.4. NSOs cannot direct an athlete to use PEGs to offset the cost of international travel or competition where these costs should be met by the NSO. 6 / 8 Performance Enhancement Grants
12. PARALYMPIC ATHLETES 12.1. HPSNZ will work with Paralympics NZ to ascertain appropriate athletes to be targeted for gold medal performances at the Paralympics Games. 12.2. HPSNZ will provide Paralympics NZ with a bulk PEGs amount annually, from which Paralympics NZ will be responsible for distributing to their targeted athletes in the most appropriate way maximise performance outcomes at the Paralympics Games. 12.3. Multi-year PEGs may be considered for Paralympic athletes and will be at the discretion of Paralympics New Zealand. 13. NSO REQUIREMENTS 13.1. NSOs from PEGs Qualifying Sports are required to: a. Collate and endorse all PEGs applications and forward these nominations to HPSNZ; b. Notify successful and unsuccessful applicants within 10 working days of receiving notification from HPSNZ; c. Have their PEGs athletes on an appropriate sport specific athlete agreement; d. Formally notify the tax implications of PEGs to each athlete; e. Ensure PEGs recipients have in place an individual performance plan (IPP), and ensure that the athlete s coach and any other relevant support personnel have contributed to the development of the IPP. The IPP should include all objectives and key performance milestones to deliver the medal winning performance; f. To ensure the level of commitment from the athlete, their coach and support personnel is sufficient to achieve the athlete s performance goals; g. To ensure the strategies in the IPP will assist the athlete to achieve their performance goals; h. Appropriately monitor their PEGs recipients in line with their IPPs; i. NSOs are required to distribute PEGs to their athletes as set out in this document; j. Notify HPSNZ if, in their opinion, an athlete deviates from the strategy outlined in their IPP to the point where the athlete s performance goal might be compromised; k. Ensure HPSNZ is kept informed of their PEGs athletes updated contact details; l. Ensure all PEGs athletes have completed all Drug Free Sport New Zealand education and compliance requirements. 14. ATHLETE RESPONSIBILITIES 14.1. Athletes are required to: a. Agree to and commit to their IPP; b. To work with the NSO to negotiate and agree an appropriate athlete agreement; c. Inform their NSO when they believe they are not in a position to keep to their agreed IPP; 7 / 8 Performance Enhancement Grants
d. Undertake all necessary Drug Free Sport New Zealand education and compliance requirements; e. Comply with all the athlete codes of conduct that may be in place within their sport, HPSNZ and any Drug Free Sport New Zealand and WADA codes of conduct. 14.2. PEGs recipients are required to attend up to two events, publicity campaigns or corporate promotions as and when requested by HPSNZ (subject to reasonable notice being given of any pre-existing commitments). The costs of attendance at such functions will be met by HPSNZ. HPSNZ will ensure that any promotional appearances do not conflict with individual or NSO sponsorship engagements. 14.3. PEGs recipients are encouraged to publicly acknowledge PEGs when asked about the financial support they receive. 8 / 8 Performance Enhancement Grants