1. Performance Objective The objective for this is to provide a key racing opportunity for Performance athletes seeking to perform at the 2020 Olympic Games. This also provides a senior international competition opportunity for targeted Performance Pathway athletes with Olympic 2024 potential The target in selection to this team is to provide a meaningful and beneficial competitive opportunity to further the development of Irish athletes towards senior international success at World Championship (2019, 2021 & 2023) and Olympic (2020 & 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 Olympic Games. 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 win medals at the meet in question 2. Selection Trials Selections will be made from Olympic individual event performances at the 2018 Irish Open LC Swimming Championships held in Dublin in the period 4 th 8 th April 2018 and at the Commonwealth Games, held in the Gold Coast in the period 4 th 10 th April 2018. Both events will be known as the Selection Trials. Athletes will be notified of their selections in the week beginning 9 th April 2018 3. Team Size Up to a maximum of 12 athletes will be selected for the 2018 European LC Championships There is no obligation on Swim Ireland to select 12 athletes and the total team size will be subject to available funding and will determined by the National Performance Director Up to a maximum of four athletes can be selected per individual event (with only two able to progress to semi-finals and/or finals) Up to a maximum of one relay can selected per relay event 4. Performance Athlete Selections (Individual s) Table 1 22.49 50m Freestyle 25.23 49.51 100m Freestyle 55.29 1:48.45 200m Freestyle 1:59.85 3:50.82 400m Freestyle 4:12.34 7:56.50 800m Freestyle 8:40.89 15:17.38 1500m Freestyle 16:31.56 54.65 100m Backstroke 1:02.09 1:59.55 200m Backstroke 2:13.10 1:01.14 100m Breaststroke 1:07.93 2:13.39 200m Breaststroke 2:29.27 52.95 100m Butterfly 59.20 1:58.62 200m Butterfly 2:11.29 2:01.46 200m IM 2:15.02 4:22.15 400m IM 4:44.46 1
All of the potential 12 athletes may be selected from within this cohort To be eligible for consideration, athletes must record a time at the Selection Trials equal or better than the individual event Standards detailed in Table 1 There is no obligation on Swim Ireland to select 12 such athletes 5. Athlete Selections (Relay s) Table 2 3:21.41 400m Freestyle Relay 3:48.52 3:40.70 400m Medley Relay 4:07.87 7:20.60 800m Freestyle Relay 8:09.00 Mixed Mixed 3:56.25 400m Medley Relay 3:56.25 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 Standards detailed in Table 2. Relay 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. Performance Pathway Athlete Selections (Individual s) Table 3 Born Born 1999 & Later 23.12 50m Freestyle 26.01 2001 & Later 1999 & Later 51.03 100m Freestyle 57.65 2001 & Later 1999 & Later 1:51.52 200m Freestyle 2:04.95 2003 & Later 2001 & Later 3:55.50 400m Freestyle 4:23.16 2003 & Later 2001 & Later 7:59.99 800m Freestyle 8:59.86 2004 & Later 2001 & Later 15:47.18 1500m Freestyle 16:41.56 2004 & Later 2002 & Later 56.41 100m Backstroke 1:05.30 2003 & Later 2002 & Later 2:03.16 200m Backstroke 2:18.78 2002 & Later 2000 & Later 1:02.51 100m Breaststroke 1:10.82 2003 & Later 1998 & Later 2:17.52 200m Breaststroke 2:35.26 2002 & Later 1997 & Later 54.56 100m Butterfly 1:01.72 2002 & Later 2000 & Later 2:01.54 200m Butterfly 2:16.84 2002 & Later 1998 & Later 2:04.68 200m IM 2:20.34 2002 & Later 2000 & Later 4:30.09 400m IM 4:55.68 2003 & Later Up to 4 of the potential 12 athletes may be selected from within this cohort Selections will only be made for individual events after consideration of the Performance athlete selections and any additional individual events entered by the Performance athletes To be eligible for selection, athletes must record a time at the Selection Trials equal or better than the individual event Standards detailed in Table 3 There is no obligation on Swim Ireland to select 4 such athletes 2
7. Selection Procedure (Athletes) At the conclusion of the Selection Trials, those who have achieved the Standards outlined in sections 4, 5 and/or 6 will be considered by the National Performance Director for nomination 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 2018 LEN European Junior Championships 8. 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 nomination 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 9. Eligibility Athletes must: Hold an Irish passport at the time of achieving a 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 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 10. Team Commitments Full team commitments will be confirmed following the Selection Procedure. All team members will be required to: Compete in the 2018 LEN European Junior Championships (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 prior to competing at the event Commit to the values of the Swim Ireland National Squad Athlete Charter Abide by the media protocols of the Swim Ireland Performance programme. 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 3
Comply with Swim Ireland and FINA swimwear regulations, including full compliance with Swim Ireland s agreement with Arena Not take holiday between the Selection Trials and the meet for which they have been selected 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 Make themselves available for all team activities designated by the National Performance Director (including, but not limited to, the National 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 11. Team Uniform/Kit All Team uniform and kit 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 hp@swimireland.ie Athletes should be aware of the time limits contained within the Procedures, which are designed with the intention of resolving issues expediently and fairly 4
16. Queries Any queries should be directed to the Swim Ireland Performance Coordinator via hp@swimireland.ie Published: September 2017 5