IABA HPU SELECTION POLICY FOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS
[ the “IABA Selection Policy”]
This document sets out the basis on which the Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) will select [or nominate] athletes for the [insert GAMES]
This document may be amended or supplemented by the IABA especially where matters arise which have not been provided for in these criteria. Any variation or amendment will be in writing and issued to all athletes who have signed the Athlete Nomination for Selection Declaration (see Schedule 1 below)
1. Objectives
To select the most competitive possible team to represent Ireland at [ ]
To select athletes who are seen to be genuine medal hopes at international tournaments or who have been identified by the High-Performance Unit (HPU), as long-term development athletes capable of achieving future success for Irish boxing.
2. Team Size and Selection
The total team size will be determined by the High-Performance Director (HPD) and will be subject to available funding.
Success at national championships does not guarantee selection for international competitions.
Please note that boxers born in Northern Ireland may choose to identify themselves as Irish or British or both in accordance with the provisions of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (more commonly known as the Good Friday Agreement).
3. Mandatory Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for selection, athletes must:
a) Must enter National Senior Elite Championships
b) Hold an Irish passport at the time of being considered for selection;
c) Be an Irish citizen and eligible to represent Ireland and the sport of boxing;
d) Be born after [INSERT DATE];
e) Be a registered IABA member, in good standing, for the [Insert Year] season;
f) Have signed the HPU Code of Conduct;
g) Have signed the Athlete Nomination for Selection Declaration
h) Comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the IABA and the World Anti-Doping Code (WADC);
i) Not be currently disqualified or suspended, or provisionally disqualified or
suspended, by the IABA or under the WADC;
j) Agree to comply with a pre-championships preparation policy as decided by the
HPD.
Additional requirements not set out above, for participation in domestic or
international qualifying events may be imposed at the discretion of the HPD. Any
such requirements will be published in writing with sufficient notice to athletes.
4. The Selection Panel will be made up exclusively of the following:
1. HPD {Voting}
2. Head Coach of the HPU {Voting}
3. Assistant HPU coaches {Voting}
4. A nominated member of association {Non Voting}
Any potential conflict of interest within the selection process will be closely monitored
by the HPD, whose decision on any selection matter is final.
5. How selection is to be determined
5.1 Factors
All selection decisions are discretionary and based on the judgment of the Selection
Panel. No selection is automatic. The following is a non-exhaustive list of factors that
the Selection Panel may consider, in any order as it sees fit, when making its
decision:
a) National/World ranking;
b) Current form;
c) Participation and performance in the World Series of Boxing and other
International Boxing Association (AIBA) sanctioned events in previous 2
years; No longer relevant as WSB is gone
d) Previous international competition history (past 2 years);
e) Previous conduct and behaviour at events;
f) Future medal potential;
g) Previous Head-to-heads;
h) Technical and tactical performance in training and sparring;
i) Fitness levels;
j) Injury status;
k) Weight management and ability to make the required weight;
l) Demonstration of attitude and commitment towards training in the HPU;
m) Demonstrated ability to work alongside other HP athletes.
n) Demonstrated ability to adhere to advice and guidance provided by the HPU
support team including professional advice from the medical and sports
science support team.
o) In Good Standing with IABA
In the absence of all places in the team being filled, the HPD can make discretionary
selections provided the athlete meets the detailed qualification standard and is
deemed a medal hope.
5.2 Box-Off
Further, the Selection Panel may, in its absolute discretion, require a box-off between
athletes in order to confirm any final nominations for selection. Box-offs will be
officiated by neutral IABA Officials. Box-offs will not be held in any other
circumstances. Athletes have no entitlement to request a box-off. The decision of the
box off shall be a final decision to determine eventual selection.
5.3 Medical Assessment
As part of the selection process, any athlete may be required, by [ the Chief Medical
Officer (“CMO”) and/or the Selection Panel] to undergo a medical assessment. To
be considered eligible for selection, that athlete must be certified by the CMO as
medically fit to compete at the [ games]. In conducting the assessment, the CMO
may seek further opinions from suitably qualified medical practitioners.
6. De-selection
Athletes may be deselected at any stage for the following reasons:
a) Anti-doping: Athletes that are suspended as a result of on-going or
concluded anti-doping charges will be deselected.
b) Fitness: Athletes may, at the discretion of the HPD, be required to undergo a
fitness test after being selected / nominated where there are concerns over
the athlete’s capability to compete to the level required for the [? games]. The
format will be determined by the Selection Panel and may include input from
medical staff. Any selection decision, following such a test, will be final.
c) Injury: The HPU Medical Team can be asked to examine any athlete injury
concerns identified by the HPD, following selection or nomination. Any
selection decision, following such a medical examination, will be final.
d) Preparation: Where an athlete’s training and preparation for a tournament is
below the standard expected or they fail to participate in organised squad
training sessions, he or she may, at the sole discretion of the HPD, be
deselected.
e) IABA Policies: Athletes in breach of IABA policies, (including this selection
policy), and codes of conduct or athlete agreements may be de-selected.
f) Ineligibility: where information confirms that the athlete is not actually eligible
to compete.
7. Appeals
7.1 Grounds of Appeal:
Any athlete may appeal his or her non-selection to an Irish Boxing Appeal Panel on
the following Grounds of Appeal
only:
a) That this Selection Criteria was not properly followed and/or implemented;
b) That the nomination decision was affected by actual bias.
7.2 The Appeal Panel
a) The Appeal Panel will be comprised of the following persons appointed by the
Board of the IABA:
(i) A barrister or solicitor who will act as the Chairman;
(ii) A person with thorough knowledge of amateur boxing; and
(iii) A senior sports administrator of experience and skill suitable to the function of
the Appeal Panel
b) No Person is eligible to be appointed to the Appeal Panel if he or she is a
member of the IABA Board, Central Council or the Selection Panel or by reason
of his or her relationship with the appellant or the IABA he or she would be
reasonably considered to be other than impartial.
7.3 The Appeals procedure:
a) The appellant must give written notice (“Notice of Appeal”) of his or her appeal to
the HPD within 48 hours of the announcement of the decision against which the
appeal is made.
b) Written notice may be given by email to [INSERT EMAIL ADDRESS]
c) A valid Notice of Appeal must set out the following:
(i) The Ground(s) of Appeal;
(ii) the relevant section of the IABA Selection Policy allegedly breached;
(iii) Details of the decision the athlete is appealing
(iv) Documents or written evidence upon which the athlete relies on in support of
his or her appeal (for example, performance data or results).
(v) Payment of €150 made payable to the IABA
d) The Chair of the Appeal Panel will convene a hearing to take place as soon as
practical, and in any event within 10 working days of receipt of the Notice of
Appeal, at which the Appeal Panel will consider the Notice of Appeal.
e) The hearing may occur in such manner as the Chairperson decides, including
telephone or video conferencing. The Appeal Panel is not bound by the rules of
evidence but must observe the principles of procedural fairness which can be
summarised as:
(i) Ensuring both parties have been given the opportunity to be heard; and
(ii) Ensuring the decision is made independently and objectively and was not
a pre-judged decision
f) Prior to the hearing, the Selection Panel will provide the Appeal Panel and the
appellant with a written statement as to the reasons for the decision against
which the appeal is made.
g) The Appeal Panel will provide a written decision within 3 working days of the
hearing, unless the Appeal Panel deem an extension of time necessary.
h) The Appeal Panel will provide the Chief Executive Office of the IABA, the HPD
and the appellant with a copy of the written decision.
i) The Appeal Panel may either dismiss the appeal or uphold the appeal and remit
the selection decision back to the Selection Panel, with any guidance which the
Appeal Panel may consider appropriate.
j) The Appeal Panel will not have jurisdiction to select or de-select any boxer. Save
as may otherwise be agreed between them, all participants to the appeal process
are required to keep the fact and contents of the appeal process confidential.
k) A decision of the Appeal Panel may be appealed exclusively by referral to Just
Sport within 7 days from receipt of such decision, for final and binding arbitration
in accordance with the Just Sport Ireland Arbitration Rules. The JSI hearings
panel will not have jurisdiction to select or de-select any boxer.
l) The arbitral award issued by JSI may be appealed exclusively by referral to the
Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland, within 21 days
from receipt of such arbitral award, for final and binding arbitration in accordance
with the CAS Code of Sports-related Arbitration.
m) The appeal to JSI arbitration shall be limited to the legality of the procedures
used and/or the decision made.
n) The appellant shall deliver a written notification to appeal to the secretary of JSI
within 14 days of receipt of the Appeal Panel decision specifying (a) date of
decision (b) the grounds of appeal (c) copy of relevant documentation together
with (d) and JSI fee.
o) A copy of the Notice of Appeal shall be sent by registered post to the CEO of the
IABA, the HPD and the respondent to any appeal.
p) No party to the appeal may issue Court proceedings relating to such dispute in
any Court in any jurisdiction.
q) No party to the appeal shall refer a dispute to JSI Arbitration or CAS arbitration
until all available avenues of resolution under this IABA Selection Policy have
been exhausted.
For more details on Just Sport Ireland refer to http://www.justsport.ie
SCHEDULE 1
ATHLETE NOMINATION FOR SELECTION DECLARATION
Athletes seeking nomination for selection at the [Insert Championships] are required
to complete the following declaration before the [ ] Championships.
I,____________________________________, competing in a tournament through
which I may be nominated for selection on the Irish boxing team for the [Insert
Championships] declare that I have read, understood and will abide by the following;
a) I understand and have read the IABA Selection Policy and relevant nomination
for selection criteria. I understand that winning at the [ ] does not guarantee
selection nor funding to the Irish boxing team for the 2020 Olympic games;
b) I understand that selection is at the ultimate discretion of the High-Performance
Director and the Selection Panel, and that I may be required to partake in a boxoff
as part of the selection process;
c) These provisions will only be waived in exceptional circumstances as approved
by IABA High Performance Director.
__________________________ ____________________
Signature of the Boxer Name of Boxer (print)
____________________________
Dated