National Representaion Selection Policy and Procedure

INTRODUCTION

This policy covers all teams selected by Squash Wales for WSF, ESF, Commonwealth Games, including all other International Team Events that Squash Wales enter and compete in. The current list of Championships that this policy will be applied is attached in Appendix 1. This list is not exhaustive and subject to regular review.

BACKGROUND

Representing your country is the highest honour that can be bestowed on any sportsman or sportswoman. Any player that aspires to represent Wales is expected to demonstrate the highest standards of professionalism both on and off the court. This includes demonstrating commitment to Squash Wales, the Performance Player Pathway Programme and appropriate behaviour to coaching staff, colleagues, teammates and opponents.

Membership of the Performance Player Pathway Programme is a precondition for selection for Wales. However, selection of any player is also conditional upon them having formally agreed to abide by the Squash Wales Code of Conduct & Commitment (attached for information in Appendix 2). During the selection process, consideration will always be given to the players adherence to the code.

JUNIORS

It is the policy of Squash Wales that the principal objective with regards to Performance is consistently to be the world’s best at senior level. This has implications for Elite Junior Squash in that this necessarily requires that success at Junior level is to some degree developmental i.e. part of the process that will help to deliver the primary (senior) objective. To that end in the selection of Junior National Teams, while teams will always be selected to perform as well as possible, consideration will always be given to the longer-term objective where appropriate.

SELECTION

Teams will be selected by the Performance Director, National Junior Coach and the Operations Manager (see below). The following criteria will be considered when selecting a team:

Nature and type of event.
Player performances at past Events.
The format of the event.
The expectations of Wales performance at the event.
The size of the team and squad.
The number of matches to be played.
Likely opponents at any given stage.
The scoring method used.
Whether the matches are played on a glass court or a conventional court.
Financial considerations/implications.

Consideration in this category will be given to the required profile for the Welsh Team to be selected, including issues of the age and experience of the players to be selected.

This may mean that when in the opinion of the Selection Panel the overall performance and prospects of a Welsh Team is unlikely to be affected, or for development rationale a lower ranked or less experienced player may be selected over someone more experienced and higher ranked. This rationale will be communicated to the relevant players ahead of the selection being announced.

RANKINGS

PSA World Tour rankings will be considered in conjunction with:

CURRENT FORM

An assessment will be made of the recent performances of players under consideration. It is possible that a players ranking is not a true reflection of their current playing standard and more recent performances will also be considered. Consideration will also be given to the manner of victories and defeats – for example, if a player concedes defeat too easily or fails to apply themselves in defeating a much lower ranked opponent.

Player Performance Profile Chart

When selecting a team along with performances and results a Players Performance Profile Chart will play an important part in the decision process.

RESULTS

A player’s results in the following events in the season preceding selection will carry most weight.

Seniors

PSA Events.
National Championships.
Previous Welsh Performances at Major Events.
BSPA Events.
British U23 Events.
Domestic League.

Juniors

Welsh Junior National Championships.
Welsh Junior Open
British Junior Closed.
British Junior Open.
England Squash Gold and Silver Events.
Previous Welsh Performances at Major Events.

PROCEDURE FOR SELECTION OF NATIONAL TEAMS

Selection of all teams will be carried out by the selection panel. The selection panel consists of

Performance Director – David Evans
Board Lead on Performance – Richard Smith
Operations Manager – Roy Gingell

For each event, selections will be made along with rationale. The rationale will include information that either justifies the selection of a player or the reasons why a player has not been selected.

FINAL SELECTION

Team selections will then be forwarded onto a panel of 3 Squash Wales Board members for ratification. The panel on the board will be led by Julian Owen who is the lead on Performance on the Board.

After selection, all players concerned will be notified by the Performance Director/National Junior Coach confirming their selection.

SELECTION AND NOMINATION “FAST” APPEALS PROCEDURE

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. This document sets out Squash Wales Selection Appeals Procedure for all international team and squad selection decisions (including deselection). It applies equally to such nomination decisions as if each reference to the “selection” was replaced with “nomination” unless otherwise stated. This document will remain in place until superseded or amended by Squash Wales from time to time.

1.2. Anyone wishing to lodge an appeal under this procedure must be fully familiar with the detailed provisions of Squash Wales Selection Policy for the relevant competition.

1.3. This is intended to be an accelerated procedure to enable any challenge to be resolved as quickly as is reasonably possible. There is considerable potential for “knock on” to athlete preparation related to the outcome of the appeal. Accordingly, the aim of this procedure is to return a decision on appeal within 5 working days.

1.4. This is the only applicable appeals procedure and forms the entire agreement between each athlete (which for this purpose includes the parents or guardian of any athlete under the age of eighteen) and Squash Wales (together “the Parties”) as to how selection decisions are to be challenged. The Parties agree to submit any dispute concerning any matter connected with or arising out of selection issues to binding arbitration in accordance with the provisions of this Selection Appeal Procedure. The Parties agree that they will not commence, continue or maintain any legal challenge to any matter falling under the jurisdiction of this procedure, or any decision made under this Selection Appeals Procedure, before any court of law or other dispute resolution body. The Parties will treat all decisions under this Selection appeals Procedure as final and binding upon them.

1.5. The Parties agree that this Selection Appeal Procedure is to be treated as an arbitration procedure under Part 1 of the Arbitration Act 1996 (“the Act”) and the provisions of clause above amount to a binding arbitration agreement for the purposes of section 6 of the Act.
The seat of the Arbitration shall be Wales.

2. PARTIES

2.1. This Selection Appeals Procedure is binding on Squash Wales and on each athlete, who is seeking selection to any Wales Team and squad selected by Squash Wales.

3. HOW TO APPEAL

3.1. This Appeals Procedure is commenced when an athlete affected by a selection decision makes a formal appeal by email (the ‘Notice of Appeal’) addressed to the Chair of the Squash Wales Selection Appeals Panel Dave Mason [email protected] This must be done within 24 hours of the selection being communicated to the athlete in accordance with the selection policy. If the athlete fails to submit the Notice within the time limit set out in this procedure, he or she will have lost their right of Appeal under this Procedure, save in wholly exceptional circumstances which will be judged by the Appeal Panel in their absolute discretion.

3.2. The Notice of Appeal will set out the ground of the appeal and will include full details of the basis of the appeal including the precise way the appellant alleges the selection criteria have not been followed. The Notice of Appeal should be as full as possible as it will form the basis of the remainder of this procedure. Appeals will normally be conducted based on the written submissions of the appellant and the relevant Squash Wales Selection Panel, without a hearing or the calling of witnesses or the giving of oral evidence.

4. GROUND OF APPEAL

4.1. The sole ground of appeal against the decision of any selection panel will be that there has been a failure to follow the applicable selection criteria. This Selection Appeals Procedure is provided on this limited ground only and must not be an opportunity to dispute the opinion of the selection panel where they have followed the proper procedure. In reaching their decision the selection panel are acting as experts and athletes agree that in so doing the panel will exercise judgement and discretion which are not in themselves capable of challenge.

4.2. There are no appeals allowed against the content of the published selection criteria and therefore against the actions of the selection panel, provided they follow the selection criteria.

5. COMMUNICATIONS AND NOTICES

5.1. Due to the timescales involved, the Squash Wales Selection Panel will use any reasonable method of communicating with athletes which will include oral announcements to groups of athletes, telephone calls, text messages, email or fax and athletes must be aware of this and keep a constant review of these communication channels to receive the selection decision. Athletes are advised that they should inform the Performance Operation Team, Dave Evans Performance Director, Greg Tippings National Junior Coach and Roy Gingell Operations Manager of a preferred method of communication and accept full responsibility for ensuring relevant contact details are provided.

5.2. Any Notice of Appeal must be sent by email as set out at Schedule 1.

6. APPEAL PANEL

6.1. The Appeal Panel will consist of three people who will be appointed by Squash Wales.

6.2. In the event that any member of the Appeal Panel has any involvement with or is related to an appellant or any athlete who might be affected by the outcome of the Appeal, or is in any other way placed in a position of conflicting interests in respect of any appeal s/he shall be disqualified from sitting on the Appeal Panel and will be replaced by an alternative panel member at the discretion of Squash Wales.

7. CONDUCT OF THE APPEAL

7.1. As soon as reasonably practicable following the receipt of the Notice of Appeal the Chair of the Appeal Panel shall contact the Chair of the Selection Panel to inform them of the Appeal, provide them with a copy of the Notice of Appeal and request that the Chair provides any response on behalf of the Selection Panel within 24 hours of this notification.

7.2. The Selection Panel and the Appellant will not be entitled to appear before the Appeal Panel but may at the discretion of the Appeal Panel be invited to provide information by telephone or in writing.

7.3. The Appellant will be asked to pay to Squash Wales a deposit of £150 as a contribution to the administrative costs of holding the Appeal. The fee will be refunded in full in the case of a successful appeal. This amount is to be paid into the Squash Wales bank account before the appeal will be processed. Failure to pay this amount into the Squash Wales bank account within 3 days of the appeal notification will result in the appeal being rejected.

7.4. Until the appeal is decided, Squash Wales will refrain from publishing any further details in relation to the selection, which is the subject of the appeal, although the existing details will remain where originally published before the Notice of Appeal was received.

7.5. Where it appears to the Appeal Panel that the interests of some other athlete (other than the Appellant, referred to as the “Third Party”) may be affected by any decision of the Appeal Panel, they will invite the Third Party to comment on the merits of the Appeal and will provide the Third Party with copies of all relevant documentation. In such a situation it is likely that the decision of the Appeal Panel will determine the rights of all the affected athletes (not just the appellant) and therefore the Third Party will be prohibited from raising again by way of a separate or further appeal matters which have already been decided upon.

7.6. The Appeal Panel will seek to reach its conclusion no later than 72 hours of receipt of the Notice and will inform all interested parties in writing and by telephone (or such other method of communication as the Appeal Panel shall decide) as soon as possible.

8. REMEDIES

8.1. The Appeal Panel will be entitled to rescind the decision of the Selection Panel and confirm the selection of the Appellant only in clear cases where the Selection Policy has not been followed and it is plain that had it been followed the appellant would have been selected.

8.2. The Appeal Panel shall be entitled to confirm the decision of the Selection panel and reject the Appeal.

8.3. The Appeal Panel may also quash the selection decision and remit the matter back to the Selection Panel identifying the errors they have identified in the conduct of the Selection process and requesting that a new decision is made within one week, or prior to the event, whichever is sooner.

9. MINOR AND NON-CONSEQUENTIAL BREACHES OF THIS PROCEDURE

9.1. Save that the time limit for commencing this Procedure by the Appellant shall be strictly enforced, where any party deviates from any requirement of this Procedure it shall not invalidate the Procedure or the decision of the Appeal Panel, unless there is a clear and significant risk that the deviation has affected the decision of the Appeal Panel.

10. CONFIDENTIALITY OF PROCEEDINGS AND PUBLICATION OF DECISION

10.1. Squash Wales, the Appellant and any Third Party are under an obligation of confidentiality in respect of any appeal proceeding under this Procedure. Save as permitted under this Selection Appeals Procedure none of these Parties will make any public statement or disclosure of the contents of the Notice, or any other matter referred to by any of the parties during these Proceedings.

10.2. Squash Wales will be entitled to publish the decision of the Appeal Panel where it upholds the Appeal (or any element of it) in such manner and to such extent as is necessary to inform all properly interested and effected parties of the status of the selection decision previously published and the resulting position as to selection.

11. CHANGES AND AMENDMENTS TO THIS PROCEDURE

11.1. Squash Wales will be entitled to amend this procedure from time to time and such amendments will take effect from the first date of publication of the complete amended procedure on the Squash Wales website. Any Notice of Appeal must be sent by email to [email protected] who will forward these to the Chair of the Appeals Panel on receipt.

Appendix 1 – Championships for which the selection policy will be used. Teams/players may not be entered in all these events:

Seniors
World Team Championships Men & Women                            bi-annual
World Cup                                                                                        bi-annual
European Team Championships Men & Women                      annual
Commonwealth Games                                                                 4 yearly
World Games                                                                                   4 yearly
European Individual Championships                                           annual

Juniors – Girls
World Championships – Team and Individual bi-annual
European Championships U19 – Team and Individual annual

Juniors – Boys
World Championships – Team and Individual bi-annual
European Championships U19 – Team and Individual annual

Juniors – Mixed
European Championships U19 – Team                                    annual
European Championships U17 – Team                                    annual
European Championships U15 – Team                                    annual
5 Nations Championship U13 – Team                                      annual
5 Nations Championship U15 – Team                                      annual

Appendix 2 – Squash Wales Code of Conduct & Commitment for Home and Away Events

This Code of Conduct & Commitment applies to:

National Squad Players and Teams
Academy Squad Players
Performance Squad Players
Players/Teams representing Wales
Squad/Team Coaches/Managers

For clarification, the Responsible Person referred to in this document is a Manager, Coach, Chaperone or Parent/Guardian, as appropriate.

CODE OF CONDUCT

Personal Appearance
1.1.1 This shall be appropriate to the circumstances, and as indicated by the Responsible Person

1.1.2 Team kit and equipment as issued, shall be worn as directed by the Responsible Person when competing and training, when assembling or travelling, at official team functions or other occasions as notified.

Attendance

1.2.1 Accommodation and transport as allocated by the Responsible Person must be used.

1.2.2 Members must attend all ceremonies, parades, meetings and other functions as directed by the Responsible Person.

1.2.3 Punctuality on all occasions is essential,

1.2.4 Curfew must be observed.

Behaviour and Personal Conduct

1.3.1 Behaviour and personal conduct must, at all times, be of a high standard, and designed to reflect favourably on the sport. Any other behaviour is totally unacceptable.

1.3.2 Language in public, or relevant group situations, must always be appropriate and socially acceptable. You must not use swear words or bad language.

1.3.3 The consumption of alcohol and smoking is forbidden for players underage as defined by the law of England and Wales. Alcohol must not be consumed by any team/squad member whilst on route, prior to and during an event.

1.3.4 Discrimination of any kind including bullying, which can take the form of physical, verbal, emotional abuse or cyber bullying, will not be tolerated, and appropriate action will be taken as necessary against the person or persons committing the abuse. You should report any unacceptable behaviour you witness to a Responsible Person.

1.3.5 The Responsible Person must approve all media interviews and be present or represented where and when appropriate. It is recognised to be in the best interest of the sport, and of individual players, that a good working relationship be established with the media. All interviews should be designed to reflect favourably on Squash Wales (SQW).

1.3.6 It is important that information on all medication currently being taken should be reported to the Responsible Person who will pass it on to the relevant medical personnel, as appropriate.

1.3.7 With regards to Performance Enhancing Drugs, SQW retains a list of banned drugs, details of which will be distributed to team/squad members on request. Use of drugs on this list is prohibited, including use by coaches/managers and official SQW staff.

1.3.8 With regards to Illegal/Social Drugs and Substances, the use of these drugs and substances, (even though they may not appear on the official banned substance list in respect of performance enhancing drugs), is not permitted.

1.3.9 I understand that I am governed by all anti-doping rules outlined by UKAD and the World Anti-Doping Code and that it is my responsibility to ensure that I adhere to these rules and submit to appropriate testing as required. A copy of all anti-doping guidelines and policies are available on request.

1.3.10 I will not engage in sexual or criminal activities.

1.3.11 I will not leave any venue during an event unless agreed by the Responsible Person or enter any accommodation block other than my own.

1.3.12 I will not criticise my opponent, their parents, a coach or referee to the other players. If you are not happy about someone you should talk to a Responsible Person.

1.3.13 I agree that I will not use my mobile phone to take inappropriate photographs of other people at any event or squad and I will not upload any inappropriate photographs or offensive or abusive comments to the internet including social networking sites.

STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT

Agreement for Consultation

2.1.1 SQW, in consultation with technical staff, agrees to arrange consultation in advance on matters of programme planning, selection for competition/squads and training. Discussions may also be initiated on any other matters, considered applicable for the development of the sport with the following:

Squad Coach/Team Manager, on an individual basis
Team/Squad coaching management and support services, on a group basis
Team/Squad members, through team/squad captains, and individuals, as required or requested
The personal coaches of individuals, as required or requested
The appropriate coaches through regions, as necessary
Notice to Players/Coaches

2.1.2 Squash Wales undertakes to inform with adequate notice, squad/team members, and appointed staff, of all relevant squads/training programmes, and levels/competitions and tournaments necessary for selection procedures, and the criteria for selection.

Commitment from Players

2.2.1 Squash Wales requires the following commitment from players, coaches and Responsible Persons, on acceptance of selection to squads and teams.

Compliance with instructions or guidance which is given to you by a Responsible Person for the duration of each event.
Acknowledgement that you are an ambassador for your family and/or your sport and that you take full responsibility for your actions when attending an event.
Participation/attendance in the relevant National Championships
Participation/attendance in other events, designated for selection purposes and development
Participation/attendance in other representative events for which selected e.g. County, regional, International, club
Participation/attendance at squad/team sessions and meetings/training camps as required
Notification of relevant health and fitness conditions, which may affect anticipated performance objectives in any competition for which selected.
Adequate notification of any factors that may necessitate declining to participate in any element of the programme for which selected, or eligible for selection. This may involve education, employment situations or previous commitments.
Willingness to attend, wherever possible, any promotional or public relation projects on behalf of Squash Wales.
Willingness to adopt, develop and sustain a positive attitude towards personal and team objectives in training, competition and social situations.
Willingness to co-operate with other team/squad members and staff, in training and competition, to achieve team objectives.

BREACH OF CODE OF CONDUCT

3.1 Breaches of the Code of Conduct above shall be dealt with in the following manner:
Firstly, by the Team Manager/Coach/Responsible Person

Secondly, by the Management Committee – depending on the seriousness of the breach
Thirdly, by a Disciplinary Panel, for breaches involving performance enhancing drugs, illegal drugs and substances, and gross misconduct/safeguarding and protecting children issues and any other matters deemed necessary for this panel.