Qualification standard set for Olympic hopefuls

THE Olympic Council of Ireland has left nobody in any doubt about qualification for next year’s Olympic Games in Beijing by announcing the qualification standards for 13 sports.

In past years, the contentious issue has resulted in protracted discussion and, in some instances, outright fury right up to the eve of the Games.

But this time around the OCI has given early and clear warning as to the acceptable standards and the closing dates for achieving them along with an insistence that athletes must also prove their fitness before ratification.

Twelve sports have signed up to the qualification standards — archery, athletics, badminton, boxing, canoeing, clay pigeon shooting, fencing, hockey, rowing, sailing, tae kwon do and triathlon — with cycling, swimming and equestrian to follow shortly.

The agreements close off a number of contentious issues that have emerged in recent Games. These include concerns such as the physical fitness of athletes, late and ‘wild card’ entries, ‘B’ category nominees and the status and credibility of qualification events.

In the case of the major Olympic sport of athletics, very detailed arrangements have been agreed. For example, only ‘A’ standards as set out by the international governing body, IAAF, will be accepted. The AAI have also agreed not to nominate any individual whose form and/or consistency does not merit nomination.

Key deadlines have also been decided between the AAI and the OCI, including protocols on qualification events and advance notice of attempts at qualification. The closing date for nominations for track/road events of 10,000 metres or longer is June 16, 2008 and, for track events of 5,000 metres or shorter and for field events, the closing date is July 21, 2008.

Athletes in all sports may now have to undergo medical examinations prior to or during the Games to determine his/her fitness to perform at Olympic level and may not be selected or may be de-selected if not physically fit.

Commenting on the outcome of the extensive negotiations with the individual national federations, the Chef de Mission of the Irish Olympic team, Dermot Henihan, paid tribute to the positive approach of all.

“It is fair to say that everyone wants an Irish team full of committed, well prepared, fully-fit, top-notch performers in Beijing,” he said.

“All the sports recognise the tremendous efforts being put into the Irish team’s preparation by the Olympic Council and the Irish Sports Council and are more than willing to match these efforts through good management and practice as evidenced by these groundbreaking agreements.”