This selection policy has been agreed upon by the USA Deaf Track & Field (USADTF) and the USA Deaf Sports Federation (USADSF). It provides details regarding the process by which USADTF will arrive at athlete nominations. These nominations will be submitted to USADSF for consideration and for final selection to the USA Deaf Athletics Team for the Summer Deaflympics 2022 in Caxias do Sul, Brazil (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 Summer Deaflympics 2022 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 Athletics (WA) - standards and/or ICSD Entry Standards for participation: See the entry standard at http://deaflympics.com/sports/AT/entry_standards
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: Meet the USADTF Qualifying Standard Charts. (See 5.1 below)
1.2 Tryout Events: No Tryouts will take place. Athletes must provide Proof of Performance (POP) (See 1.3.1 below)
1.3 Selection process for athletes to become National Team nominees:
1.3.1 Each athlete must submit three (3) best Proof of Performance (POP) from their most recent competition seasons to the Head Coach and the specialty coaching staff. Acceptable timeframe of the competition seasons are indicated below:
First wave: 2020 - Between January 1 to July 15
Second wave: 2021 - Between January 1 to June 15
Third wave: 2022 - Between January 1 to March 15
The Head Coach and the specialty coaching staff will then screen the applications. The Qualification Standard chart is to be used as a guideline, but, not the final assessment for an athlete to be selected. For instance, should a male athlete ran 53 seconds in 400m hurdle in a meet and ran 57 seconds and 59 seconds in 2 other meets, it does not mean he is automatically on team. We would opt for an athlete who did 55 seconds in 3 meets over the above athlete. We would average off the 3 performances.
An announcement of the first compiled USA Team will be made by August 1, 2020. The second and third waves of addition team members will be announced on or before June 30 of 2021 and April 1 of 2022, respectively. Should there be some unexpected additions beyond April 1st, additional announcement will be made thereafter.
In event of adding athletes during second and/or third wave, the new additions cannot bump off those who were selected earlier entirely. The first wave athletes are guaranteed at least one event. Coaches will be responsible to ensure that every athlete will compete in at least one event and in the best interest of the USA Team.
The POP submission form may be obtained from USADTF website (www.usadtf.org). See attached form below. A copy of official meet result sheet; official meet website link; press releases; and/or signed document by meet official(s) must be included with the submission form. No consideration will be made without any of those documents. No exceptions!
Electronic times for sprint events (100, 200, 400, 100H, 110H, and 400H) are a must. For other running events, either electronic or hand timing is acceptable.
The Head Coach and the specialty coaching staff may seek athletes out in the mainstream that may not be aware of the 2021 World Deaf Athletics Championships and 2022 Summer Deaflympics. They may also recruit athletes to fill in spots that serve in the best interest of the USA Team including 2nd, 3rd and 4th legs of the relay teams.
1.4 Selection Committee:
1.4.1 The USA Deaf Track & Field Selection Committee is comprised of the following members: • Dave Frank - Head Coach
• Coaching Staff - Specialty Coaches
• Thomas Withrow - Team Leader
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 Prior to entry by name to USA Deaf Sports Federation, USA Deaf Track & Field has jurisdiction over potential nominees.
2.1.1 Voluntary withdrawal. Athlete must submit a written letter to the USA Deaf Track & Field Executive Director.
2.1.2 Injury or illness as certified by a physician (or medical staff) approved by USA Deaf Track & Field. If an athlete refuses verification of their illness or injury by a physician (or medical staff) approved by USA Deaf Track & Field, 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 USA Deaf Track & Field Code of Conduct (See file).
2.1.5 If for any reason, USA Deaf Track & Field 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, USA Deaf Track & Field retains the right to remove the athlete.
2.2 Once athlete entries have been submitted to the USA Deaf Sports Federation, the USADSF has jurisdiction over the Team rosters.
2.2.1 Voluntary withdrawal. Athlete must submit a written letter to the USADSF Team Leader.
2.2.2 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.
2.2.3 Failure to participate in mandatory training and/or competitions.
2.2.4 Violation of USADSF Code of Conduct.
2.3 An athlete may be removed as a nominee to the Team or from the Team for an adjudicated violation of ICSD, WADA, WA, USADA and/or USADSF anti-doping protocol, policies and procedures, as well as the U.S. Center for SafeSport Code and USA Deaf Track & Field SafeSport policies, as applicable.
3. REPLACEMENT OF ATHLETES
3.1 Prior to entry by name to the USA Deaf Sports Federation, USA Deaf Track & Field has jurisdiction over potential nominees.
3.1.1 An announcement of the first compiled USA Team will be made by August 1, 2020. The second and third waves of addition team members will be announced on or before June 30 of 2021 and April 1 of 2022, respectively. Should there be some unexpected additions beyond April 1st, additional announcement will be made thereafter.
In event of adding athletes during second and/or third wave, the new additions cannot bump off those who were selected earlier entirely. The first wave athletes are guaranteed at least one event. Coaches will be responsible to ensure that every athlete will compete in at least one event and in the best interest of the USA Team.
The POP submission form may be obtained from USADTF website (www.usadtf.org). See attached form below. A copy of official meet result sheet; official meet website link; press releases; and/or signed document by meet official(s) must be included with the submission form. No consideration will be made without any of those documents. No exceptions!
Electronic times for sprint events (100, 200, 400, 100H, 110H, and 400H) are a must. For other running events, either electronic or hand timing is acceptable.
The Head Coach and the specialty coaching staff may seek athletes out in the mainstream that may not be aware of the 2021 World Deaf Athletics Championships and 2022 Summer Deaflympics. They may also recruit athletes to fill in spots that serve in the best interest of the USA Team including 2nd, 3rd and 4th legs of the relay teams.
3.2 Once athlete entries have been submitted to USA Deaf Sports Federation, the USADSF has jurisdiction over the Team.
3.2.1 In the event a qualified Team loses one of its athletes due to illness, injury or "force majeure" then the USA Deaf Track & Field 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.
4. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
4.1 USA Deaf Track & Field 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 Summer Deaflympics 2022 and are included as attachments:
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/AT/criteria-athlete).
6.2.2 Also distributed through, but not limited to, email, affiliated Athletics organizations (USA Deaf Track & Field and USADSF), and USADSF approved Deaf-related publications. Such information shall include a reference to the entire Selection Procedure herein:
7. DATE OF NOMINATION
7.1 The Nomination of Athletes form, including replacements, will be submitted to USADSF on or before 15 Apr 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
For those athletes who are selected to be on USA Team for 2022 Summer Deaflympics may consider to attend: Pan America Deaf Games (Date/Location: TBA) and the member of the team are fully expected to participate in the 2021 World Deaf Athletics Championships. Also, athletes may consider attending any other international invitational meets when available and other elite track & field competition.
USADTF may consider having a mandatory one-week camp or two for the coaches and athletes during the summer of 2021 and 2022, if feasible to get to know each other, prepare the team for the upcoming months prior the World Deaf Athletics Championships and Summer Deaflympics.
The head coach and specialty coaching staff may remove athlete(s) if they failed to comply with the agreement mentioned below and/or come to the one week camp or the USA training camp unprepared.
Athletes on the USA Team for 2021 World Deaf Athletics Championships and 2022 Summer Deaflympics will be assigned specialty coach(es) for guidance throughout the time prior the training camp. Athletes are required to maintain communication ties with their specialty coaches, respectively. They will respond to any questions, requests or anything asked of them either by USADTF, USA Summer Deaflympics Committee, or USADSF.
Athletes will demonstrate their training regimes by producing documents to their specialty coaches, respectively. They are expected to train from the time of selection throughout to the training camp and in shape and ready to compete at highest level. Or, the coaches may consider removing the athlete(s) from the team. That includes sub par performance using the qualifying standard to show that the athletes have been training and maintain their performance.
Athletes may be asked to raise funds, attend fund raising affairs, do some promotion and/or any other special occasions pertaining to fund-raising related activities
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 Track & Field's procedures below:
Internal Grievance Procedure
(a) - Any member of this Association may file a written grievance in the form of a complaint with the Secretary, within fifteen (15) days, pertaining to any matter within the cognizance of this Association and/or alleging a violation of any provision of these by-laws or Operating Regulations. At the time of filing, a copy of the compliant shall be sent to the President.
(b) - Each complaint shall be signed under oath and shall allege with particularity the nature of the grievance and/or each claimed violation by reference to specific sections thereof, stating in concise factual allegations shall be set forth in numbered paragraphs, each paragraph containing a single factual allegation.
(c) - Upon receipt of a complaint, the Secretary shall refer it to the Standing Committee for the sport involved or in the case of more general grievances or complaints, to the Executive Board. Every effort will be made to resolve the complaint at this level through informal means.
(d) - In the event that the member filing a compliant is not satisfied with the resolution of the matter by informal methods, he/she may request a hearing, whereupon the President shall, within fifteen (15) days, appoint a panel, consisting of three (3) members of the Executive Board, none of whom shall have in interest in the subject matter of the complaint to hear evidence, making findings of fact, and adjudicate the issues raised. At least 20 percent (20%) of the Executive Board members appointed shall be active athletes. The appointment shall include the designation of one (1) of the selectees as the chairperson.
(e) - Fair notice and an opportunity for a hearing shall be accorded to any amateur athlete, coach, trainer, manager, administrator, or official before this Association declares such individual ineligible to participate in any amateur athletic competition.
(f) - At any hearing conducted pursuant to paragraph (d) of the Article, all interested parties shall have the right to counsel, to present evidence in support or in opposition to the complaint, to cross-examine witnesses, and to present such factual or legal claims as will support their positions. A summarized record of the proceedings shall be made by the hearing panel. The rules of evidence shall not be strictly enforced; instead, rules of evidence that are generally accepted in administrative proceedings shall be applicable. The hearing panel shall expeditiously conduct the hearing and report its findings of fact and conclusions in writing to the Association and all interested parties.
(g) - The decision of the hearing panel may be appealed to the Association by written notice to the President by certified mail within fifteen (15) days from the receipt of the decision.
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 WA rules and regulations as presently known and understood. Any change in the selection procedures caused by a change in ICSD, as applicable, and/or WA rules and regulations will be distributed to the affected athletes immediately. The selection criteria are based on the latest information available to USA Deaf Track & Field. 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 Track & Field, they may contact the USADSF Executive Director, Jameson Crane at crane@usdeafsports.org. If the Executive Director does not respond within 3 business days, the complaint may then contact the USADSF President, Danny Lacey at lacey@usdeafsports.org.
13. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
13.1 This document certifies that USADTF 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 Track & Field.