7000-403 Canada Games: Athlete Identification Criteria to Canada Games

Review Date: February 2021                    

Effective Date: June 2021

To ensure fair and equitable identification of athletes to Canada Games, the criteria outlined in the policy details below will be used to determine which athletes will advance to Canada Games.

General Principles

Athletes must:

  • Be registered active athletes of Special Olympics Ontario
  • Be a member in good standing within their Sport Club and Community and must be willing to adhere to the Athlete Code of Conduct and Athletes Rights and Responsibilities’
  • Meet the minimum and maximum age guidelines for their sport as per the Canada Games Technical Package
  • Not have attended a World Games in the same sport*
  • Have been training in the sport in which they are competing in for a minimum of two consecutive sport seasons immediately preceding Canada Games
  • Have been training with a Special Olympics Ontario registered sport club

Gender

Athlete identification will be based on the Canada Games Technical Package.

Age

Age guidelines differ for each sport, please refer to the Canada Games Sport Technical package.

Identification

Athletes must meet the minimum standards set out by Special Olympics Canada and must provide proof of such results.  Athletes must be endorsed by their community and coach first, followed by endorsement by the parent/guardian, to be formally identified as a Canada Games eligible athlete.  Once the above criteria are met, athletes will be identified by the Provincial Office as Canada Games Eligible Athletes to compete at the qualifying competition.

Qualifying

Athletes must attend a Special Olympics sanctioned event in order to qualify for the Canada Games. identification is based on the performance guidelines set out by the generic sport governing body in conjunction with Special Olympics Ontario.

*Quota

If the allotted quota cannot be filled using the above stated general principles, eligibility will be extended to athletes who have competed at World Games in the same sport.