The difficulties of athlete selection appeals: Key Considerations For Governing Bodies

The first part of this article, available here, considered selection appeals from the perspective of the athlete and sought to offer some practical advice to athletes finding themselves in the unenviable position of considering an appeal against their non-selection or de-selection.

In this second instalment, the author reviews the selection appeals policies of a number of large major event sports including British Athletics,1 British Cycling,2 British Swimming,3 British Rowing4 and British Gymnastics.5 This second instalment seeks to comment on the key features of these policies and provide some guidance to governing bodies on the different approaches taken to these difficult cases.

The author has acted both for athletes and governing bodies on issues relating to selection appeals, and it is hoped that insight from both sides of the fence will be useful to those involved in these difficult and emotionally charged matters.