SELECTION POLICY FOR SOUTH EAST ASIAN JUNIOR TABLE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

SELECTION POLICY FOR SOUTH EAST ASIAN JUNIOR TABLE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS 1 BACKGROUND The South East Asian (SEA) Junior Table Tennis Championships is a yearly event held usually in the month of June. It is one of the most important youth competitions in our calendar of events. Teams who finish top 2 positions in the U-18 team events will qualify for the Asian Junior Championships. Each country is allowed to register a total of 12 players*; Under-15 Boys (Cadet) 2 players Under-15 Girls (Cadet) 2 players Under-18 Boys (Junior) 4 players Under-18 Girls (Junior) 4 players The following events will be contested; Cadet Boys Team - 2 players Cadet Girls Team - 2 players Junior Boys Team - 4 players Junior Girls Team - 4 players Junior Boys Singles - 4 players Junior Girls Singles - 4 players Junior Boys Doubles - 2 pairs Junior Girls Doubles - 2 pairs Junior Mixed Doubles - 2 pairs Cadet Boys Singles - 2 players Cadet Girls Singles - 2 players Cadet Boys Doubles - 1 pair Cadet Girls Doubles - 1 pair *subject to change by the organizer 2 OBJECTIVE The objective of this selection policy is to select the best youth players to represent Singapore in the annual SEA Junior and Asian Junior Championships. 3 ELIGIBILITY All athletes must be Singapore Citizens and fulfill the eligibility under the regulations from the SEA Table Tennis Association (SEATTA). SELECTION POLICY FOR SEA JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS (Last updated on 24 March 2015) Page 1

4 AGE Cadet events are for players who are 15 years old and below. Junior events are for players who are 18 years old and below. Players who are under-15 are allowed to compete in the junior events. 5 SELECTION CRITERIA 5.1 Auto-qualifiers National Team players are exempted from the SEA Junior selection trials. 5.2 Selection Process The following will be invited to a selection trial in March or April: i(a) Players who achieved Top 4 placing in the cadet and junior singles events for the following competitions that are held one year within the date of the selection trials to the next date of selection trials: - SAFRA-STTA Table Tennis Championships - Dr. Ng Eng Hen STTA Table Tennis Championships - Dr. Lee Bee Wah Cup STTA Table Tennis Championships i(b) Players who achieved Top 4 placing in the cadet and junior singles events for the local competitions (as stated in Clause 5.2 i(a)) would be invited for the selection trials, provided that they would be participating in the same age group category or are eligible in the following year. ii. Players who are in the YOG training team within one year at the point of selection trial would be invited for the selection trials. These invited players can only compete in the selection trial in their respective age categories. iii. Players who were medal winners in the singles event in the preceding year s SEA Junior Table Tennis Championships would be invited for the selection trials, provided that they would be participating in the same age group age category in the following year. iv. 4 cadet players and 6 junior players from the School Within a School programme will be invited to the selection trial. v. Any athlete from the National Youth Team whom maintains an attendance of 75% of the total training sessions available for the whole year prior to the selection trials will be invited for the SEA Junior Table Tennis Championships selection trials. vi. Athletes from the Intermediate Squad will qualify for the selection trials. These athletes will play in their respective age categories in the selection trials. SELECTION POLICY FOR SEA JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS (Last updated on 24 March 2015) Page 2

vii. Any athletes with outstanding dues to STTA will not be able to participate in the selection trial. 5.3 STTA will have the right to include additional players from 5 th - 8 th placing for the local tournaments in the event that the players from the top four placing are ineligible to play in the respective age categories in the SEA Junior Championships. 5.4 Players who are invited to the selection trials will go through one round-robin in the respective age categories. Cadet players who qualify for the selection trials for both cadet and junior events can only opt to take part in the selection trial for one age category. 5.5 Reserve List 5.5.1 After determining the players who were selected based on the auto-qualifying criteria under item 5.1. Selection trials will be held for the remaining positions in the SEA Junior Squad. STTA will select 2 reserve players for cadet and junior teams. In total, STTA will select 4 cadet boys and girls and 6 junior boys and girls to form the SEA Junior Squad, inclusive of the auto-qualifiers. 5.5.2 Should any of the selected players be unable to participate in the SEA Junior Championships, the reserve player will take his/her place in the team. The reserve players will have to fulfill the same training requirements. 5.6 The list of players eligible for the selection trial would be determined after the conclusion of the SAFRA-STTA Table Tennis Championships in March. 6 ATTENDANCE FOR CENTRALISED TRAINING, SEA JUNIOR TABLE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS & ASIAN JUNIOR TABLE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS 6.1 There will be a local or overseas centralized training to prepare for the SEA Junior Championships. All players of SEA Junior Squad have to achieve 90% attendance for training. Players who fail to do so, will be asked to leave the SEA Junior Squad and replaced by the next highest placed reserve player. 6.2 If the centralized training is held overseas, all players of the SEA Junior Squad are required to attend. Players who are unable to attend the overseas training, will be asked to withdraw from the SEA Junior Squad. 6.3 Any athletes who qualify for major competitions / games such as and not limited to SEA Junior Table Tennis Championships or Asian Junior Table Tennis Championships and refuse to represent the country will be referred to the Disciplinary Committee. 7 ASIAN JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS SELECTION POLICY FOR SEA JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS (Last updated on 24 March 2015) Page 3

7.1 For the team event, only the gold and silver medalist in the SEA Junior team event in the same year will qualify for the team event in the Asian Junior championships. The players of the team for Asian Junior Championships shall remain the same as the team in the SEA Junior. In the event that there are insufficient players for Asian Junior Championships, the next highest placed reserve based on the selection trial will be selected. 7.2 Training will continue for teams that qualify for the Asian Junior Championships 7.3 For the cadet events, STTA reserves the right to send the players for the Asian Junior Championships as there is no qualification system for the cadet events. 8 TRAINING AND COMPETITION-RELATED OBLIGATIONS 8.1 Athletes shall pay 10% of the cost for the overseas centralized training and competitions such as SEA Junior Table Tennis competitions and Asian Junior Table Tennis Championships. 8.2 Fees should be paid prior to departure for overseas training and competition. 8.3 Athletes with any outstanding fees to STTA will not be able to participate in the training and SEA / Asian Junior Championships. 9 DISBANDMENT 9.1 The SEA Junior Squad will disband after the SEA Junior Championships if they fail to qualify for the Asian Junior Championships. If the SEA Junior Squad qualifies for Asian Junior Championships, the squad will disband after Asian Junior Championships. 10 CODE OF CONDUCT 10.1 Players who are late for more than 15 minutes for the selection trials will not be allowed to play in the selection trials. 10.2 Players who deliberately lose to another player so that another player can qualify, he or she will be disqualified from the selection trials. The case will be escalated to STTA Disciplinary committee (DC) for further action. 10.3 Players who exhibit unsporting behaviour (e.g using of vulgar language during matches, verbal abuse of tournament officials) will be disqualified from competing in the selection trials. 10.4 If players exhibit behaviour during the SEA and Asian Junior Championships that maybe considered damaging to the image of Singapore team. STTA DC will decide on the punishment. The player may have to take responsibility for the total cost of the event (travel, hospitality and entry fees). There maybe further action such as suspension from future local and overseas competitions based on the severity of the incident. SELECTION POLICY FOR SEA JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS (Last updated on 24 March 2015) Page 4

10.5 Players must be able to furnish medical certificates if they miss any training or selection trial. 11 APPEAL PROCESS 11.1 Appeal against the non-selection must be made in writing to the Chairman (High Performance Committee), Singapore Table Tennis Association at 297C Toa Payoh Lorong 6 Singapore 319389, within 48 hours of the announcement of the players selected for SEA Junior Squad. 11.2 The sole ground for any appeal is that the selection process was not properly followed. 11.3 An appeal must be made in writing with supporting documentation and must be accompanied by a deposit of S$100.00, payable to the Singapore Table Tennis Association. If the appeal is successful, the deposit will be refunded in full. 11.4 There will be an Appeal Committee (comprising of members not involved in the actual selection process) to investigate the issues of the appeal with all involved parties. 11.5 STTA will, in writing, inform all parties about the Appeal Committee s decision to either uphold or reject the appeal. The decision of the Appeal Committee will be final and no further correspondence will be entertained. High Performance Committee Singapore Table Tennis Association SELECTION POLICY FOR SEA JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS (Last updated on 24 March 2015) Page 5