2024 OLYMPIC ZONAL QUALIFYING EVENT – SELECTION CONSULTATION PART 2

Athletes seeking selection for the 2024 European Olympic Zonal Qualifying event are invited to feedback by 15th June on the final draft of Selection Policy in final round of consultation.

Following the consultation on qualification standards and selection routes for athletes seeking selection for the 2024 Olympic Zonal Qualifying event, and feedback on the BF Olympic Nomination Policy the Selection Policy has now been drafted in full and is available for a final round of consultation and comment prior to Board approval.

Consultation responses should be submitted via the form here by 15th June 2023.

Draft Olympic Zonal Qualifying Event Selection Policy here. Changes from original published standards marked in yellow.

Changes made:

• Updates for clarification and definition purposes – using the terminology set out in the published FIE Olympic Qualification System document.
• Removal of performances at Junior World Cup from discretionary criteria a) and c)
• Addition of performances at Senior European Championships from discretionary criteria a) and c)
• Discretionary Routes – Increased the age (birth year 2000) by which athletes are expected to have achieved a 120 World Ranking. This is informed by the performance data around transition from U20 into the Senior circuit.
• Addition of a Discretionary Route 3 to allow selectors the option to consider discretionary cases from a wider group of Senior World Ranked athletes.

Discretionary Route 3.

8.3.1  If no athlete is selected using Discretionary Route 1 & 2, then the selectors may consider discretionary cases from athletes:

a)   who have achieved a Senior World Ranking of 120 or less (ie between 50 & 120) as at 1st April 2024, or

b)   who have previously achieved a Senior World Ranking of 120 or less within the previous 18 months, but present a case around injury, illness, pregnancy or similar life changing event.

8.3.2  Athletes that wish to be considered under Discretionary Route 3 must submit a Zonal Discretionary Form in accordance with the process published on the BF website.

Background

Qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games will take place in accordance with the published FIE document as agreed by the International Olympic Committee.

If, in a weapon, Great Britain does not have any athlete qualified through the team qualification or through the individual Adjusted World Ranking by zone, they can send one (1) athlete to participate in the European zonal qualifying event (see here for more information). The winner of the zonal qualification event will qualify for the Olympic Games.

All GBR athletes must still be selected and entered by the British Olympic Association, following nomination by British Fencing.

Note on original consultation

The original consultation ran from 14th November until 1st December 2022, with the consultation form left open for anyone wishing to respond after the deadline. Four responses in total have been received, 3 from athletes and 1 from a parent of a senior athlete with a wide variety of different views expressed.  Individual follow-ups are available to ADP athletes if they would like to discuss their responses, please submit a request via the form here.

Disclaimer – This news post is not the Selection Policy Document and is not intended as a replacement for that document. Athletes who wish to represent Great Britain, along with their coaches and parents are expected to read the final approved policies rather than rely on summaries and news post contents. No appeals will be permitted on the basis of the contents/interpretation of this news post.

If you have any questions relating to this post, please submit them to us via the form here and a member of the ADP team will come back to you.