WORLD GAMES 2022 SELECTION POLICY
1. Purpose
1.1 The primary purpose of British Lacrosse Ltd (“BL”) is to achieve success on the world stage for the men’s and women’s lacrosse teams representing Great Britain.
1.2 The purpose of the BL Men’s and Women’s Teams World Games 2022 Selection Policy (the “Selection Policy”) is to establish clear processes and criteria for the selection of players to represent Great Britain in the men’s and women’s lacrosse teams at the World Games to be held in 2022 (the “Games”).
2. Vision and Values
2.1 BL’s vision is to inspire and generate enthusiasm, participation and pride in British lacrosse. In order to achieve this vision, BL is committed to creating the desire and the opportunity for the most talented players in England, Scotland and Wales to become part of the men’s and women’s British lacrosse squads and teams where they will benefit from a best-in-class performance pathway to compete at the Games.
2.2 BL’s values are such that, together with its Board, staff and volunteers, it:
- believes in the potential and collective strength of ‘achieving more together’;
- is approachable and inclusive;
- welcomes diversity of people and thought;
- is responsible and responsive in its plans and actions;
- appreciates dialogue and discussion, encouraging a style that is respectful and communicative; and
- is proud of its past, is grounded in the realities of the present and has an eye firmly on the future.
3. Objectives
3.1 The objectives of the Selection Policy are as follows:
- to employ an open and fair selection process that gives all eligible players an opportunity to challenge for selection to represent Great Britain at the Games; and
- to select players who will form teams to achieve the best possible results at the Games.
4. Selection Framework
4.1 Lacrosse is a team sport. Whilst players can do much to develop their ability and skills in an individual environment, ultimately each player must be able to realise their potential and perform within a team.
4.2 In selecting for a team sport, it must be acknowledged that combinations of players, the balance of a squad and the versatility of players to play in more than one position within the team must be considered alongside (and sometimes in preference to) an individual player’s ability and skill.
5. Eligibility Criteria
5.1 In order to be eligible for selection to participate as a member of the men’s or women’s British lacrosse squads or teams for the Games, a player must:
- meet the eligibility criteria prescribed by World Lacrosse and the organisers of the Games for participation in the Games as a member of the men’s or women’s British lacrosse teams;
- meet the eligibility criteria prescribed by one of England Lacrosse, Lacrosse Scotland or Wales Lacrosse (as appropriate) to play for England, Scotland or Wales (as the case may be) in European and World Championships Note 1; and
- not be prohibited from competing in international lacrosse competitions.
5.2 Selection to participate as a member of the men’s or women’s British lacrosse squads or teams for the Games is conditional upon the men’s or women’s British lacrosse teams satisfying the qualification criteria (if any) to compete at the Games.
6. Selection Criteria
6.1 A player who is eligible for selection to participate as a member of the men’s or women’s British lacrosse squads or teams for the Games will be assessed by reference to the following criteria:
- personal ability and skill;
- physical and mental fitness, conditioning and athleticism;
- tactical awareness and implementation;
- team orientation (e.g., attitude, coachability, character);
- level of commitment to the relevant squad or team;
- aptitude for specific roles or positions within the team;
- versatility;
- past playing record and performance;
- willingness to uphold BL’s vision and values; and
- any other factor that may be conducive to the achievement of the objectives of this policy.
6.2 A player will not be selected to participate as a member of the men’s or women’s British lacrosse squads or teams if, in the reasonable opinion of the relevant squad’s or team’s senior medical professional, that player is not physically or mentally fit to do so. 6.3 Where a player suffers an injury that, in accordance with paragraph 6.2 above, could result in that player not being selected, the post-injury fitness of that player will be assessed in accordance with BL’s published protocols and procedures.
7. Selection Process
7.1 A player wishing to be considered for selection for the men’s or women’s British lacrosse squads or teams must register his or her interest with the head coach of the relevant team (each a “Head Coach”). The relevant registration and selection dates will be published in advance on BL’s website and made available to interested players by the programme administrator by email.
7.2 The Head Coaches will be responsible for selecting players for their respective squads and teams, by reference to the eligibility and selection criteria set out above.
7.3 The Head Coaches will assess players through a combination of invitational assessments, trial matches and training days, to be proposed by the Head Coaches and agreed by the Board of BL.
7.4 The Head Coaches may announce provisional men’s and women’s squads from which, following further trial matches and/or training days, the final squads will be selected.
7.5 In selecting players for a squad or team the Head Coaches may consult with other members of the BL management team as they see fit and they must consult with the head coaches of England Lacrosse, Lacrosse Scotland and Wales Lacrosse (as appropriate) but the Head Coaches have final sign-off on selections, both individual and combined, for their respective squads or teams.
7.6 Players will be notified of their selection or non-selection as soon as possible through an agreed method of communication.
7.7 The Head Coaches will be available to discuss the selection results, either face-to-face or by telephone, with affected players. Non-selected players have the option for discussions to be witnessed by a member of staff of England Lacrosse, Lacrosse Scotland or Wales Lacrosse (as the case may be) and for that discussion to be documented.
8. De-Selection Process
8.1 A player may be de-selected from the men’s or women’s British lacrosse squads or teams if:
- he or she resigns from the relevant squad or team;
- he or she fails to attend the minimum number of squad training events specified by the relevant Head Coach or otherwise fails to demonstrate the requisite level of commitment to the relevant squad or team, as the case may be;
- he or she fails to enter into the appropriate men’s or women’s British lacrosse team athlete agreement;
- he or she behaves in such as manner as may, in the reasonable opinion of the relevant Head Coach, bring the men’s or women’s British lacrosse teams or the sport of lacrosse into disrepute;
- he or she fails to make the requisite financial contribution towards his or her participation in the relevant squad or team, as agreed between the player and BL, or fails to pay to BL when due any other sums that he or she may owe to BL; or
- in the in the reasonable opinion of the relevant squad’s or team’s senior medical professional, that player is no longer physically or mentally fit to participate in the relevant squad or team.
8.2 The process by which a player may be de-selected from the men’s or women’s British lacrosse squads or teams will depend on when the event triggering the de-selection occurs and will take into account any Late Athlete Replacement Policy prescribed by the organiser of the Games.
8.3 Where a player suffers an injury that could result in that player being de-selected in accordance with paragraph 8.1(f) above, the post-injury fitness of that player will be assessed in accordance with BL’s published protocols and procedures.
9. Anti-doping
9.1 A player selected for the men’s or women’s British lacrosse squads or teams will thereby be subject to the UK Anti-Doping Rules.
10. Announcements
10.1 A player selected for the men’s or women’s British lacrosse squads or teams must not make any public announcement regarding his or her selection, until such time as BL has publicly announced the membership of the men’s or women’s British lacrosse squads or teams, as the case may be,
11. Appeals
11.1 No legal action may be taken arising in connection with the selection or de-selection of a player pursuant to this policy.
11.2 A player may appeal against his or her non-selection for or de-selection from the men’s or women’s British lacrosse squads or teams only on the following grounds:
- failure to follow the procedure set out in the Selection Policy;
- failure to follow due process; or
- bias or undue influence.
11.3 The criteria for appeal may not include any alleged error of judgement of the relevant Head Coach.
11.4 An appeal must be submitted to the chair of BL within 5 days of the non-selection being announced.
11.5 The appeal must take the form of a written notice of appeal from the prospective appellant detailing all relevant reasons.
11.6 The relevant Head Coach will be invited to comment on the prospective appellant’s notice of appeal.
11.7 If written statement identifies valid grounds for appeal then the chair of BL will convene an appeal panel comprising a member of the board of BL and two other individuals with appropriate skills and experience to consider the appeal.
11.8 The appeal panel will convene a hearing as soon as possible after the submission of the notice of appeal. The hearing may be convened in such a manner as the appeal panel determines.
11.9 The appeal panel will give its decision as soon as practical after the hearing and will provide the relevant Head Coach and the appellant with a statement of the reasons for its decision.
11.10 The appeal panel’s decision will be final.
Note 1: In recognition of the provisions contained within the Belfast Agreement 1998 (Cm. 3883), a Northern Irish player who has not played for another national team (i.e., other than England, Scotland, Wales or Great Britain) in the previous three years may register with England Lacrosse for this purpose.
Adopted: 8th June 2021 Updated: 18th August 2021
