Policy Statement: Selections for FIE Final Direct Tokyo Qualification Events

Following the recent FIE announcement and in light of the current travel restrictions and official guidance, BF publishes policy on selecting athletes to attend the final direct qualification events for Tokyo.

The FIE has scheduled in the last direct qualification events for Tokyo in March (please see update here). There is one more direct qualification event per weapon, scheduled only for the purposes of completing the FIE Olympic qualification period.

After these events, there is one additional opportunity to qualify in weapons where GBR have not qualified an athlete directly. This is the European Zonal qualification event, where GBR can send 1 athlete per weapon. It remains the intention of BF to send one athlete to this event in each weapon where eligible. Objective selection criteria for this event exist (here). In light of the current COVID situation, UK travel restrictions, Government guidance and UK Sport guidance, it is the policy of BF to only send athletes to the final direct qualification events in support of Tokyo qualification.

Athlete Eligibility Criteria:

• Wishes to travel (all selections are offered on a strict opt-in basis), and
• Is currently is a direct qualification position for Tokyo based on current FIE World Ranking, or
• is currently the #1 or #2 athletes in line for selection to represent GBR at the Tokyo Zonal qualification event using the published BF Zonal Selection Criteria, or
• has a realistic chance* of achieving a result that would enable them to become the #1 athlete in line for selection to represent GBR at the Tokyo Zonal qualification event using the published BF Zonal Selection Criteria.

In addition, if only one athlete is participating in an event, an additional training partner (taken from the BF ranked top 10) can be selected to provide support, opportunities to train and warm up etc.

Teams will only be entered where there is a case to provide additional competitive experience to athletes with a realistic chance** of Tokyo qualification. Additional training partners (taken from the BF ranked top 10) can be selected, if necessary, to make up a team for this purpose.

Training partners will be permitted, although not obliged, to compete in the Individual event.

*‘Realistic chance’ will be assessed by calculating the result required to become the #1 athlete using the published BF Zonal Selection Criteria, the previous performances of that athlete at Senior World Cup/Grand Prix level and recent levels of training.

**‘Realistic chance’ will be assessed by considering the World Ranking of the athlete in comparison to expected opponents at the Zonal qualifiers, an analysis of their previous performance against expected opponents at the Zonal qualifiers, the previous performances of that athlete at Senior World Cup/Grand Prix level and recent levels of training.

These criteria apply while current UK government and UK Sport guidance remains in place. Should guidance change, these criteria may also change.

Additional Notes:

Anyone travelling to these events (athletes, coaches, staff) as part of the GBR squad will be expected to follow all relevant UK Government, UK Sport, BF and FIE guidance, as well as any guidance from the national government of the event’s host country.

Any member of the GBR squad not currently residing in the UK must ensure they have the appropriate visas in place to return to their countries of residence after competing and make sure they follow all departure and destination country travel regulations, particularly as new (Brexit) rules are in place.

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