This selection policy is tentative, pending approval by the USADSF Executive Board. It provides details regarding the selection process. These nominations will be submitted to USADSF for consideration and for final selection to the USA Deaf Sailing Team for the World Deaf Sailing Championships in Puck, Poland (hereinafter called the "Games").
1. SELECTION SYSTEM
1.1 Minimum eligibility requirements for athletes to be considered for selection to the Team:
1.1.1 Nationality/Passport requirements:
1.1.1.1 Athlete must be a national of the United States at the time of nomination.
1.1.1.2 Athlete must hold a valid U.S. passport that will not expire for six months after the conclusion of the Games and 6 months prior to the Games. Except for USA-hosted Games, the staff must possess a valid government-issuedntity card.
1.1.2 Have a hearing loss of at least 55db (3-tone frequency average at 500, 1000 and 2000 Hertz, ISO 1964 Standard) in the better unaided ear, as documented on a recent audiologist-certified audiogram. See audiogram regulations at http://www.deaflympics.com/pdf/AudiogramRegulations.pdf
1.1.3 Minimum International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) standards for participation:
1.1.3.1 Any competitor in the World Deaf Sailing Championships must be a national of the country of the National Deaf Sports Federation (NDSF) which is entering such competitor.
1.1.3.2 For additional information regarding an athlete who is a national of two or more countries, has changed their nationality or acquired a new nationality, refer to the ICSD Regulations at http://deaflympics.com/icsd/icsd-athlete-nationality-policy
1.1.4 Minimum International Sports Federation - World Sailing (WS) - standards and/or ICSD Entry Standards for participation:
Not Applicable
1.1.5 Commit to participation in mandatory training and competitions.
1.1.6 Complete the USA Deaf Sports Federation National Team application packet.
1.1.7 Can not participate as a team official - coach, trainer, medic, etc.
1.1.8 Other requirements:
Not Available
1.2 Tryout Events:
There are no tryouts for the sailing athletes due to the time constraint.
1.3 Selection process for athletes to become National Team nominees:
1.3.1
Due to the time constraint, tryouts will not be possible. Each athlete shall provide documentation for the following:
1. Demonstrated proficiency in sailing.
2. Official results from a minimum of three (3) sailing competitions in the past two (2) years in which the athlete participated.
3. Achievements in sailing, including any medals or awards.
4. References from a Coach or Official qualified to provide insight on the athlete's abilities and commitment.
5. Capacity to commit to continuous physical workout regimens supporting the physical demands of consecutive participation in organized sailing competitions.
6. From time of selection until the Games, maintain timely contact with the sailing team leader and keep the staff informed about training regiments and other pertinent information.
7. Exhibit good sportsmanship and character.
8. Athlete nominees will be selected based on the above criteria and proof of performance.
9. In exceptional circumstances, a nominee may be replaced with another nominee due to higher qualification or rank at the USADSF's discretion.
10. Deadline to apply is 18 July 2022.
11. If interested, contact USADSF Office at office@usdeafsports.org.
1.4 Selection Committee:
1.4.1 The USA Deaf Sailing Selection Committee is comprised of the following members:
• A team leader, pending appointment by USADSF -
• All current USADSF board members -
1.4.2 Any member of the selection committee that has a possible conflict of interest must disclose it. If such conflict exists, the selection committee member must recuse themselves from the committee discussions and voting. Further, the committee member shall not otherwise influence other members of the committee in the selection process.
2. REMOVAL OF ATHLETES
2.1 Once athlete entries have been submitted to the USA Deaf Sports Federation, the USADSF has jurisdiction over the Team rosters.
2.1.1 Voluntary withdrawal. Athlete must submit a written letter to the USADSF Team Leader. Please note that there is no guarantee of a refund in the event of a voluntary removal.
2.1.2 Injury or illness as certified by a physician (or medical staff) approved by USADSF. If an athlete refuses verification of their illness or injury by a physician (or medical staff) approved by USADSF, their injury will be assumed to be disabling and they may be removed.
2.1.3 Failure to participate in mandatory training and/or competitions.
2.1.4 Violation of USADSF Code of Conduct.
2.1.5 If for any reason, USADSF believes that it may not be safe for athletes or other coaches to have this individual on the team between the time of appointment and the event, USADSF retains the right to remove the athlete.
2.2 An athlete may be removed as a nominee to the Team or from the Team for an adjudicated violation of ICSD, WADA, WS, USADA and/or USADSF anti-doping protocol, policies and procedures, as well as the U.S. Center for SafeSport Code and USA Deaf Sailing SafeSport policies, as applicable.
3. REPLACEMENT OF ATHLETES
3.1 Once athlete entries have been submitted to USA Deaf Sports Federation, the USADSF has jurisdiction over the Team.
3.1.1 Voluntary withdrawal. Athlete must submit a written letter to the USADSF Office.
3.1.2 In the event a qualified Team loses one of its athletes due to illness, injury, athlete withdrawal, or "force majeure" then the USA Deaf Sailing Team Leader, in consultation with the USADSF Executive Director, shall propose a replacement athlete. The replacement athlete shall be the most qualified candidate that meets the aforementioned criteria.
If the ICSD, USADSF or Games Organizing Committee (hereinafter "GOC") requires different replacement procedures within a certain time period before the Games or after official nomination of the Final Roster to the USADSF, such procedures for replacement shall be followed.
3.1.3 Injury or illness shall be certified by a Board certified physician (or medical staff). If an athlete refuses verification of his/her illness or injury by a physician (or medical staff) approved by USADSF, his/her injury will be assumed to be disabling and he/she may be removed.
4. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
4.1 USA Deaf Sailing will retain the approved Selection Procedures and all supporting documents, including scouting or evaluation forms, and all data from the selection process for six months past the date of the Closing Ceremony of the Games.
5. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
5.1 In addition to the USADSF Code of Conduct, the following documents are required to be signed by an athlete as a condition for nomination to the World Deaf Sailing Championships and are included as attachments:
Not Available.
6. PUBLICITY/DISTRIBUTION OF PROCEDURES
6.1 The USADSF approved Selection Procedures (complete and unaltered) will be posted/published within ten (10) days of approval by the USA Deaf Sports Federation Board of Directors.
6.2 Information shall be published:
6.2.1 on the USADSF website (http://www.usdeafsports.org/sports/SA/criteria-athlete).
7. DATE OF NOMINATION
7.1 The Nomination of Athletes form, including replacements, will be submitted to USADSF on or before 25 Jul 2022.
7.2 The list of athletes on the Team are to be announced publicly only after USADSF approves the rosters.
8. MANDATORY TRAINING AND/OR COMPETITIONS
Not Available
9. ANTI-DOPING REQUIREMENTS
9.1 Athletes must adhere to all ICSD, WADA, IF, USADA and USADSF anti-doping protocols, policies and procedures, as applicable. This includes participation in Out-of-Competition Testing as required by the ICSD, WADA, IF, USADA and USADSF Rules, as applicable.
10. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES
10.1 All athletes have a right to obtain due process. Refer to USA Deaf Sailing's procedures below:
Please refer to Section 12 - ATHLETES GRIEVANCES AND COMPLAINTS below.
10.2 If the selection criteria and the grievance procedures were not followed properly, see ATHLETE GRIEVANCES AND COMPLAINTS.
11. INTERNATIONAL DISCLAIMER
11.1 These procedures are based on ICSD, as applicable, and/or WS rules and regulations as presently known and understood. Any change in the selection procedures caused by a change in ICSD, as applicable, and/or WS rules and regulations will be distributed to the affected athletes immediately. The selection criteria are based on the latest information available to USA Deaf Sailing. However, the selections are always subject to unforeseen, intervening circumstances, and realistically may not have accounted for every possible contingency.
If any force of nature, or force majeure, should cause the altercation or cancellation of any of the selection events listed in this document, these selection procedures will be revised, pursuant to their resubmission to the USADSF.
12. ATHLETE GRIEVANCES AND COMPLAINTS
12.1 If an athlete has questions regarding their opportunity to compete that are not answered by USA Deaf Sailing, they may contact the USADSF Executive Director, Jameson Crane Iii at crane@usdeafsports.org. If the Executive Director does not respond within 3 business days, the complaint may then contact the USADSF President, Jeff Mansfield at mansfield@usdeafsports.org.
13. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
13.1 This document certifies that USADS individuals on the Selection Committee understand the standards/criteria set by ICSD, IF, and/or USADSF and have incorporated those standards/criteria into the Selection Procedures. These individuals certify that the information provided herein regarding Athlete Selection Procedures represents the method approved by USA Deaf Sailing.