Quest For Gold

Quest for Gold – Ontario Athlete Assistance Program 2011-2012 (OAAP) is funded by the Government of Ontario, through the Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport (MHPS), and operated through the Sport, Recreation & Community Programs Branch. The overarching goal of the Quest for Gold – OAAP is directly related to the Enhanced Excellence goals of the Canadian Sport Policy – to improve the performance and number of Ontario athletes performing at the national and international level; thereby contributing to the improved performance of Canada at international competitions. Specific objectives of the program are:

a) To help athletes continue their pursuit of athletic excellence at the highest levels of national and international competition;

d) To enable athletes to successfully pursue excellence in sport while fulfilling their educational goals;

The program will provide direct financial assistance to Ontario junior-aged athletes through an “Ontario Card” designation. “Junior-aged athlete” is defined as those athletes who fall within the eligible age range for the Canada Games - 11 to 22 years of age. A PSO/MSO with a NSO-approved Long Term Athlete Development Model (LTADM) that identifies older athletes in the “Train to Train” and “Train to Compete” categories may apply to MHPS for a variation to this 11-22 age range. A PSO/MSO may choose to allocate a maximum of 30% of it’s carding allotment to athletes older than 22 years of age who have been identified as a potential next generation national team athlete by the PSO/MSO’s selection process.

The intent of the OAAP is to provide funding to individual athletes based on their demonstrated commitment to high performance sport, allowing them to pursue athletic excellence at the highest levels of national and international competition.

In accordance with the OAAP guidelines, the Ontario Weightlifting Association is responsible for developing sport specific selection criteria and forming a Selection Committee that will apply the criteria to select those athletes who will be awarded Ontario Card status in 2011-2012. The Selection Criteria are approved by the Board of Directors and reviewed by MHPS staff. Nominated athletes will be required to sign and comply with an Athlete Agreement between the athlete and Ontario Weightlifting Association. Carding status will be for one year starting April 1, 2011 ending March 31, 2012.

In 2011-2012, the MHPS allocated a certain amount of OAAP Ontario Cards to each eligible Provincial Sport / Multi-Sport Organization (PSO/MSO). Ontario Weightlifting Association has been allotted a total of 4 Ontario Cards (split evenly as 2 male and 2 female Cards).

Ontario Weightlifting Association has also decided to exercise the option made available by MHPS to split up to 30% of its carding allotment (i.e. issue ½ cards in designated categories).

A minimum of 70% of the Ontario Cards will be allocated to what the MHPS defines as junior-aged athletes (11 to 22 years of age). A maximum of 30% of the Ontario Cards may be allocated to athletes no longer eligible for "junior athlete" status, (athletes 23 and over).

As a result, the 4 cards issued to Ontario Weightlifting Association will be allocated as follows:

The Selection Committee, which has been approved by the PSO/MSO Board of Directors is comprised of the following members:

The exact level of funding for the 2011-2012 carding year will be determined by the MHPS after the total number of athletes nominated for Ontario Card status has been determined. Funding will be released prior to March 31, 2012.

How will the Ontario Weightlifting Association Selection Committee decide who receives funding?

The Ontario Weightlifting Association Selection Committee will use both the Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport Eligibility Criteria and the Sport Specific Selection Criteria detailed below to determine which athletes will be nominated for Ontario Card status in 2011-2012:

All athletes must meet the Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport’s minimum athlete eligibility criteria:

· Athlete must be a permanent resident of Ontario for one year prior to his/her nomination for carding status.

· Athletes must be living in and continuing to train in Ontario. Exceptions shall be made on a case specific basis by the PSO/MSO Selection Committee provided that the athlete can substantiate in writing at the time of application/nomination for carding status that:

(a) He/She cannot receive the required level of training in Ontario and is out of the province temporarily during the year (i.e. due to lack of facilities, coaching, competitions);

(b) He/She must attend a post-secondary institution out-of-province either because the course of study is not offered by an Ontario institution: or

(c) It is more financially feasible to attend a post-secondary institution out-of-province, or other extenuating circumstances that require the athlete to be out of the province.

The onus is on the athlete to demonstrate that he/she needs to be out-of-province for one of the above reasons. Any documentation required to clarify this “residency exception” must be submitted in its entirety to the Ontario Weightlifting Association Selection Committee by no later than September 30th, 2011 in order to be considered. Documentation related to exception (a) above may include, but shall not be limited to, a letter from the athlete’s NSO outlining the following, as well as any other pertinent information:

- what additional opportunities are being made available beyond those provided in Ontario; and

- any other information that will illustrate that the athlete is receiving enhanced training while still meeting all obligations of the Ontario Weightlifting Association.

· Athletes who have achieved Canada Card status are not eligible for Ontario Cards.

· Athlete must be a member in good standing with PSO/MSO and NSO where applicable;

· Athlete must have entered into a Sports Organization - Athlete Agreement with his or her PSO/MSO and must be in full compliance with the terms and conditions of that agreement;

· Athlete must have met all terms and conditions of any previous Quest for Gold Sports Organization – Athlete Agreements to the satisfaction of the PSO/MSO in order to be eligible for consideration in 2011/2012;

· Athlete must demonstrate a commitment and dedication to a proper training and competitive program;

· Athlete’s coach must be minimum Level 2 NCCP certified or trained status Competition Stream or the sport’s equivalent in the Instruction Stream;

· Athlete must not be under a sanction that prohibits competition as per the Canadian Anti-Doping Policy;

· Athlete must be attending an educational institution full-time (i.e. elementary and secondary schools):

Ø Exceptions will be made provided that the athlete can substantiate that his/her training will not allow for full-time attendance or if an athlete requires special needs that preclude full or part-time attendance (e.g. Athlete with a disability (AWAD) athlete);

· Athletes who have completed their area of study at the secondary level (i.e. high school) and who continue to train towards participation in major national or international competitions will also be considered;

· If eligible, the athlete must compete, and continue to compete solely for Ontario and/or Canada for one year from the date of the Minister’s letter informing the athlete of acceptance into OAAP program, at Canada Games and other national competitions involving provincial team competitions;

· Athlete must not receive financial support from any other provincial/territorial athlete assistance program. This does not include academic scholarships, bursaries, student grants, student loans, social assistance, disability pensions, and other forms of financial assistance that have nothing to do with competitive sport.

· Eligibility will be limited to Ontario junior-aged athletes, ages 11-22 (“junior-aged” refers to chronological age, not a sport’s specific age category - only exception is for PSO/MSOs using 30% of Ontario Card allotment for athletes older than 22 years of age who have been identified as a potential next generation national team athlete by the PSO/MSO’s selection process.

Residency Exemption for Military Families: The one-year Ontario residency requirement is waived for any Ontario Card or Canada Card applicant who is a spouse or dependant of a: Regular Force member of the Canadian Forces; or Reservist currently deployed by the Canadian Forces into active service and who takes up residence in Ontario during the fiscal year. This means that eligible military family members now qualify for OAAP funding immediately upon becoming residents of Ontario. Please see the 2011-2012 Quest for Gold Athlete Handbook for details of this exemption, including a list of documents needed to verify eligibility for this waiver of the one-year Ontario residency requirement.

· To be deemed a potential next generation national team athlete, the athlete must be age-eligible to compete on the national team in the year following receipt of Ontario Card funding.

· An athlete that received Sport Canada Carding during any part of MHPS’ fiscal year April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011 and/or any part of fiscal year April 1, 2011 and March 31, 2012 and is no longer in receipt of Sport Canada Athlete Assistance shall not be eligible to receive Quest for Gold funding during fiscal year 2011-2012 (April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012.) The intent of this rule is to prevent athletes whose performance levels and rankings no longer qualify them for Sport Canada carding from taking an Ontario Card from a future national-level athlete. However, exceptions may apply and will be considered by the MHPS on a case-by-case basis. Exceptions may include, but may not be limited to logistical or administrative changes (ex. reduction in Sport Canada carding allocation), injuries, etc. Ontario Weightlifting Association must contact MHPS in writing prior to the submission of the Athlete Nominations to seek individual exceptions.

· All athletes under the age of 18 must have their parent or legal guardian sign their OAAP application form. Cheques will be processed in the name of the eligible athlete.

· An athlete can only be nominated to receive Quest for Gold funding in one sport.

· Athletes who are attending any foreign post-secondary educational institution (including NCAA institutions) and are receiving an athletic scholarship in any sport are not eligible to receive OAAP support.

· The onus is entirely on the athlete to determine the impact of accepting OAAP funding on current or future NCAA eligibility and to decide whether or not to accept OAAP funding. The athlete will be required to acknowledge this onus and responsibility when signing the OAAP Ontario Card application form and agreeing to the related terms and conditions of the program. Athletes are strongly encouraged to contact the NCAA Eligibility Center to determine the impact of Quest for Gold - OAAP funding on current or future eligibility for a NCAA scholarship or on eligibility to compete in a non-scholarship NCAA sport.

NCAA Eligibility Center
P.O. Box 7136
Indianapolis, IN 46207

Customer service hours - 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time Monday through Friday.
Toll-free phone number (U.S. callers) - Customer service line – 877-262-1492
Phone number (international callers) - Customer service line – 317-223-0700
Fax number - 317-968-5100

· In the event of a conflict or inconsistency between the MHPS eligibility requirements detailed in the MHPS binder provided to PSO/MSOs and duplicated in the Athlete Handbook provided to each nominated athlete and the eligibility requirements listed in the PSO/MSO Athlete Selection Criteria Document prepared by the PSO/MSO, the MHPS Binder/Athlete Handbook shall prevail.

Ontario athletes who have been nominated and accepted for funding through Sport Canada’s AAP within the government of Ontario’s fiscal year (April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012) and who continue to meet AAP and OAAP eligibility requirements will automatically be considered for a Quest for Gold ‘Canada Card’. MHPS will contact those athletes directly at the mailing and email addresses the athlete provided to Sport Canada. Athletes are solely responsible for ensuring that their contact information is kept accurate and up to date at all times.

The following sport specific athlete selection criteria will be utilized in the identification, ranking and selection of athletes for Ontario Cards:

2) For the purpose of this selection, the term junior will apply to athletes that are born 1992 or later. The term senior will apply to athletes born 1991 or earlier.

5) Carding will only be allocated to those athletes with the highest results from the period of November 1, 2010, to Oct 2, 2011, measured as the total of the best two competition performances, expressed as the percentage of the 2011 junior or senior marker (as listed on the http://www.canadianweightlifting.ca/cwfhc_natteams.htm website) for the respective weight, gender and age categories. The marker will not be rounded up or down but truncated to 3 decimals. For example, a calculated marker of 74.999572615 will be truncated to 74.999.

6) Results from any competition subject to Doping Control from November 1, 2010 to October 2, 2011 will be used in ranking athletes to determine eligibility for OAAP funding.

7) For junior athlete a minimum total marker of 135.0% of the Junior National marker is needed for nomination.

8) For senior athlete a minimum total marker of 145.0% of the Senior National marker is needed for nomination.

9) The athlete must show a minimum increase of marker as in table 1-1 from the best results prior to November, 1 2010 to their best results during this year’s selection period as listed in number 5. The marker for both will be calculated using the 2011 junior and senior national markers. The marker will not be rounded up or down but truncated to 3 decimals. Example if an athlete had a marker of 81.500% in 2010 they would need a marker of 83.500% in 2011 to remain eligible for nomination.

Best Marker Minimum Increase

Less than 77.500% +2.500%

77.500 - 79.999% +2.000%

80.000 - 82.499% +1.500%

82.500 - 84.999% +1.000%

85.000 - 87.500% +0.500%

Over 87.500% 0.000%

10) To be eligible, athletes must compete at either the 2011 Canadian Senior Championship and 2011 Ontario Senior Provincial Championship or the 2011 Canadian Junior Championship and 2010 Ontario Junior Provincial Championship.

11) In the case of a tie, the nomination for the Quest for Gold carding will be based on each athlete’s next highest competition performances (marker), until a difference is obtained between scores (e.g., the highest three or more competition performances until the tie is broken). Only drug tested competitions from November, 1 2010 to October 2, 2011 will be used for tie breaking.

12) In order to receive funding, all eligible athletes will be required to enter into an athlete agreement with the Ontario Weightlifting Association (provided by the Ontario Weightlifting Association) requiring them to fulfil specific standards during the course of their funding period.

13) If no athlete meets the minimum increase as per #9 but meets the minimum standard then the athlete with the highest marker calculated as per #5 and does not have a negative increase will be carded.

Breaking a Tie: If there is a tie in the final score between 2 athletes, the nomination for the Quest for Gold funding will be based on each athletes next highest competition performances (by marker as set out in part #5 of the Sport Specific Athlete Selection Criteria), until a difference is obtained between scores (e.g., the highest three, or more competition performances until the tie is broken)

Alternates: Ontario Weightlifting Association will also nominate alternates to those athletes nominated for Ontario Card status. Alternates will be those athletes who are ranked directly behind those athletes nominated for the allotment of Ontario Cards in a particular category/discipline. The names of alternates will be published along with the names of nominated athletes. If an athlete drops out or is removed from the OAAP an alternate will be substituted into that athlete’s position, provided that:

The Sports Organization – Athlete Agreement will only come into effect if an athlete is selected and accepts carding status through the OAAP program.

Ontario Weightlifting Association will publish or make known a draft list of athletes nominated for Ontario Card status by no later than October 17, 2011.

Athletes who have not been nominated for an Ontario Card by the Ontario Weightlifting Association Selection Committee or who have been nominated for a ‘Half Card’ versus a ‘Full Card’, where applicable will be allowed to appeal that decision by filing a “Notice of Appeal” with MHPS. Appeals will be heard by an Appeals Committee comprised of representatives from the sport community, selected by the MHPS.

A) Whether or not the Selection Committee has completed the selection process in accordance with its

B) Whether or not the Selection Committee applied the selection criteria in a manner that was free from

Please note that before an athlete can file a Notice of Appeal, he or she must first ask Ontario Weightlifting Association for reasons explaining why he or she was not nominated for an Ontario Card.

If the athlete is not satisfied with the PSO/MSO’s response, the athlete may submit a Notice of Appeal, found below. A Notice of Appeal will only be accepted on the MHPS-provided template (typed or hand-printed, no hand-written entries) through email, regular post, registered mail, courier or delivered in person. The Notice of Appeal must be received by MHPS by 4 p.m. on the deadline day. Appeals that are delivered personally or by courier shall be deemed to be received on the date of delivery.

Once MHPS has received the Notice of Appeal, it will share it with Ontario Weightlifting Association, who will then have an opportunity to file a “Response” with MHPS by a specified deadline. The Response will outline why Ontario Weightlifting Association believes that the Selection Committee’s decision not to nominate the athlete should be upheld by the Appeals Committee. MHPS will share the Ontario Weightlifting Association Response with the athlete.

If, after receiving the Ontario Weightlifting Association Response, the athlete believes that Ontario Weightlifting Association has raised new or additional reasons to justify the Selection Committee’s decision not to nominate the athlete for an Ontario Card, then the athlete will have an opportunity to file a “Reply” with MHPS, responding to these additional reasons. The Reply must be limited to these additional reasons and cannot be used to make submissions already raised in the Notice of Appeal, or that the athlete neglected to include in the Notice of Appeal. The Reply will only be accepted on the MHPS-provided template.

Once MHPS receives the Notice of Appeal, the Response, and the Reply (if applicable), it will provide those materials to the Appeals Committee. The Appeals Committee will discuss all appeals at once. During its review of the appeals, the Appeals Committee reserves the right to request additional information from both the athlete and Ontario Weightlifting Association.

1. Direct Ontario Weightlifting Association to redo the selection process using the correct criteria/process and submit a new list of nominated athletes;

Once the Appeals Committee has reached its decision, it will contact the athlete and Ontario Weightlifting Association in writing to communicate its decision and the reasons therefore.

An athlete who has had his or her appeal denied is not permitted to submit a second appeal to the Appeals Committee on the same or different grounds.

Note: Ontario Weightlifting Association is encouraged to resolve disputes or disagreements informally with athletes who have not been nominated to avoid, wherever possible, formal appeals.

The deadline for athletes to submit an “Athlete’s Notice of Appeal” to the Appeals Committee is

Appeals must be completed on the Notice of Appeal template below and will be directed to:

2011/2012 Quest for Gold – Ontario Athlete Assistance Program
Athlete’s Notice of Appeal Template

The deadline for an athlete to submit an appeal to the Appeals Committee is 4:00 p.m. on October 27, 2011 for Cycle 1 and 4:00 p.m. on January 26, 2012 for Cycle 2. Appeals will only be accepted on the MHPS-provided Notice of Appeal template. Please refer to the appeals section of your PSO/MSO’s Athlete Selection Criteria document prior to completing this form.

Return form to:

Quest for Gold Appeals Committee

c/o Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport

777 Bay Street, Suite 702, Toronto ON M7A 1S5

Fax: 416-314-6301 Email: Scott.Cooper@ontario.ca

Whether or not the PSO/MSO has completed the selection process in accordance with its own published selection criteria and related procedures;

Whether or not the PSO/MSO applied the section criteria in a manner that was free from bias, discrimination and/or conflict of interest.

In the space below, (continue on to next page as needed) provide the reasons communicated to you by your PSO/MSO as to why you were not nominated for an Ontario Card. (Note: If your PSO/MSO did not provide you with any reasons, please make a request to your PSO/MSO to see these reasons before completing this Appeal Template.)

In the space below (continue on to next page as needed), provide a detailed account of the situation to allow the Appeals Committee to understand the basis of the appeal (please submit additional pages/supporting documentation as necessary):

PLEASE NOTE that all decisions of the Appeals Committee are final.