1996 U.S. Olympic Trials-Gymnastics
Boston, Massachusetts / June 25-30, 1996

1996 Olympic Team Selection Procedures

Index

---------------------------

1996 WOMEN'S OLYMPIC TEAM SELECTION PROCEDURES

November 22, 1995

Note: These procedures are published in the December, 1995 issue of Technique magazine (Vol. 15, No. 10).

I. Overview

The process for qualifying for the Women's 1996 Olympic Team involves the following sequence of events:

  1. qualifying for the 1996 Coco-Cola National Championships either (a) through the American Classic or the U.S. Classic, or (b) by being a member of the 1995 World Championships Team,
  2. qualifying for the Olympic Trials through the National Championships; and
  3. finishing in the top 7 All Around at the Olympic Trials.

II. Scoring

The all-around score for each of the events which are part of this selection process (the American Classic, the U.S. Classic, National Championships and the Olympic Trials) will be determined by combining elite compulsory exercises (counting for 60 percent) and optional exercises (counting for 40 percent).

III. 1996 Coca-Cola National Championships

A. Qualification to Participate in the Championships

  1. An athlete may qualify to participate in the National Championships through the USA Elite Regional meets and then the American Classic or the U.S. Classic. The American Classic is scheduled for February, 1996 in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the U. S. Classic is scheduled for May, 1996. Site is yet to be determined.
  2. The eight (8) gymnasts who comprise the 1995 World Championships Team automatically qualify into the 1996 National Championships.

B. Time and place

The 1996 National Championships will be conducted in June 5-8, 1996 in Knoxville, Tennessee.

IV. Olympic Trials

A. Qualification to Participate

The top 14 finishers from the National Championships will qualify for the Olympic Trials. In the case of a tie for fourteenth place, the athletes tying for that place will each qualify for the Olympic Trials. Any athlete whose petition to participate in the Olympic Trials is accepted (see Section VI below) will compete at the Olympic Trials as an addition to the 14 athletes qualified through Championships. In the event an athlete who qualifies for the Olympic Trials from the National Championships is unable or declines to participate in the Trials, and as a result the total number of athletes (including petitioned athletes) competing in the Olympic Trials drops below fourteen (14), the qualified athletes will be replaced by alternates who will be invited in rank order from number fifteen at Championships. There will be no replacements for petitioned athletes.

B. Time and place

The Trials will be conducted on June 27-30, 1996 in Boston, Massachusetts.

V. Selection of the Olympic Team

The final determination of the seven athletes who will represent the United States in the 1996 Olympic Games will be made at the Olympic Trials. The Top seven athletes in rank order from the combined compulsory and optional competitions will comprise the 1996 USA Olympic Team. If any petitions to be placed on the Olympic Team are accepted (see Section VI below), the number of positions on the Olympic Team to be selected through the results of the competition at Olympic Trials will be reduced by the number of petitions granted.

If one of the top seven gymnasts in rank order from USA Championships is injured after the USA Championships, her injury is verified by a physician approved by USA Gymnastics, and the petition is then accepted, her USA Championships' score will be her score for Olympic Trials. This score is entered into the All Around results prior to the start of the Olympic Trials. If her total score from USA Championships remains within the top seven ranked all around scores from Trials, she has earned one of the seven slots on the Olympic Team.

In the case of a tie for the final spot on the Olympic Team the tie will be broken as follows:

  • First by the higher all-around compulsory score
  • Second the higher three event compulsory score total
  • Third the higher three-event optional score total
  • Alternates will be selected in rank order pending the athlete(s) acceptance of the alternate status (i.e. remaining in competitive condition).

VI. Petition Procedures

Notwithstanding the process identified in the preceding sections of these Selection Procedures, USA Gymnastics recognizes that extraordinary and unforeseen circumstances may occur which would cause an athlete otherwise deserving of a spot on the Olympic Team to be unable to participate in one or more of the steps in that process. Accordingly, USA Gymnastics will allow athletes to petition USA Gymnastics for the right to (a) participate in the National Championships, (b) participate in the Olympic Trials, or (c) be placed on the Olympic Team. The procedures governing such petitions are as follows:

A. Qualification to Petition

  1. To USA Championships: Only athletes who are members of the 1995-96 Senior Women's National Team may petition to enter the National Championships.
  2. To Olympic Trials: Only athletes who were members of the Team representing the United States at the 1995 World Championships or who finished among the top eight (8) all-around gymnasts at the 1996 American or U.S. Classic may petition to enter the Olympic Trials.
  3. Onto the Olympic Team: Only athletes who have qualified (by competition or petition) for the Olympic Trials may petition to be placed on the Olympic Team without participating in or completing the Olympic Trials.

B. Effect of Participation/Petition:

  1. An athlete, who completes competition in one of the qualifying events and does not qualify for the next step of the selection process, may not submit a petition seeking to be added to that next step of the process. For Example, an athlete who competes in the USA Championships and finishes fifteenth may not petition (citing an injury which adversely affected her performance) to be added to the Olympic Trials.
  2. An athlete who submits a petition may not subsequently participate in the competition which was the subject of the petition. For example, an athlete who files a petition to be placed on the Olympic Team, citing an extraordinary circumstance which prevents her from competing in the Olympic Trials, may not then participate in the Olympic Trials, if her petition is denied.

C. Extraordinary and Unforeseen Circumstances

Before a petition may be granted, the petitioning athlete must demonstrate that:

  1. an injury, illness or other unforeseen circumstance exists which prevents her from competing in or completing one of the qualifying events and
  2. the petition was submitted as soon as practical after the athlete became aware of the injury, illness or other unforeseen circumstance.

D. Petition Requirements

  1. In order to be considered, petitions must be submitted in writing to USA Gymnastics as soon as possible after the athlete determines her inability to compete.
  2. The petition must state the specific injury, illness, or unusual circumstance which prohibited the athlete from participating in the competition.
  3. Petitions will be decided by the Selection Committee (USAG International Consultant, the Elite Program Committee Chairman, the Athlete Representative and the Women's Program Director) in conjunction with the USAG President.

VII. Selection of the Olympic Team Coaches

The Head Coach and the Assistant Coach for the 1996 Olympic Team (one of whom must be a woman) will be selected immediately after the final Team Selection by the Selection Committee based upon the following criteria:

  • proven team leadership ability
  • international experience
  • number of athletes on the 1996 Olympic Team
  • fulfilling the necessary criteria established by USA Gymnastics, including:
    • professional member in good standing
    • current USA Gymnastics Safety Certification
    • attended National Team Meeting session for nutritional and psychology education

VIII. Removal

An athlete or coach may be removed from the Olympic Team or from any step of the process for selecting the Team, if he/she violates the terms of the USA Gymnastics National Team Agreement (in case of the athletes) or Olympic Team Coaches' Agreement (in the case of the coaches), including the Code of Ethics incorporated in each Agreement. An athlete may also be removed from the Olympic Team in the event of injury or illness which inhibits performance at the Olympic Games. Verification of injury or illness will be by two doctors selected by USA Gymnastics and approved by the United States Olympic Committee.

An athlete who is placed on the Olympic Team by petition as a result of illness or injury must demonstrate her readiness to compete in the Olympic Games prior to the time of the Games and must agree to submit to an examination of her injury or medical condition by doctors selected by USA Gymnastics and approved by the United States Olympic Committee. Removal may only occur by action of the President of USA Gymnastics after consultation with the Selection Committee and an interview with the athlete and her coach. Any decision to remove an athlete or coach is subject to review through USA Gymnastics Grievance Procedures.

IX. Acknowledgment

These Selection Procedures have been reviewed and approved by USA Gymnastics and the United States Olympic Committee. Each athlete and coach participating in the process for selecting the Olympic team as outlined in these Selection Procedures has carefully reviewed, understands and agrees to the terms of these Procedures. That understanding and agreement is reflected by the signature of the athlete and coach on a copy of these Selection Procedures.

Approved by the USA Gymnastics Executive Committee and the United States Olympic Committee.

---------------------------

1996 MEN'S OLYMPIC TEAM SELECTION PROCEDURES (posted 12/17/95)

NOTE: These procedures are published in the December, 1996 issue of Technique magazine (Vol. 15, No. 10)

I. Overview

The process for qualifying for the Men's 1996 Olympic Gymnastics Team involves the following:

  1. qualifying for the Olympic Trials through the Coca-Cola National Championships, and
  2. finishing among the top 7 gymnasts using a combined total with 40 percent of the score taken from Championships and 60 percent taken from the Olympic Trials.

An athlete who petitions directly to the Olympic Trials will have his score count as 100 percent of his total. He cannot be ranked ahead of another gymnast unless his score from the Olympic Trials is greater than both the other gymnast's Final Trials score and the other gymnast 40/60 percent total from the Championships and the Final Trials.

II. General Information

A. Scoring

The All-Around score for each of the events which are part of this selection process (the National Championships and the Olympic Trials) will be determined by combining elite compulsory exercises (counting for 50 percent) and optional exercises (counting for 50 percent).

B. Petitions

Petitions to enter the National Championships or the Olympic Trials, other than through the competitive process described, will be considered by the Men's Program Committee. In order to be considered by the Men's Program Committee, petitions to participate in the National Championships or the Olympic Trials, must be submitted in writing to USA Gymnastics' National Office at the time the athlete becomes aware of his inability to participate in, or compete in, the applicable competition. The petition must state the specific injury, illness or unusual circumstance which prohibited the athlete from participating in the competitive process. In the case of a petition based upon an injury or illness, the petition must be accompanied by a physician's statement, and the nature and extent of that injury or illness is subject to verification by a neutral doctor selected by USA Gymnastics and approved by the United States Olympic Committee. Under no circumstances will an athlete who does not compete at the Olympic Trials be petitioned onto the Olympic Team.

III. 1996 Coca-Cola National Championships

A. Qualification to Participate in the Championships

  1. An athlete may qualify to participate in National Championships through USA approved qualifying competitions.
  2. Ranked members of the National Team from the 1996 Winter Cup Challenge will automatically qualify to the 1996 National Championships.

B. Time and Place

The 1996 National Championships will be conducted in June of 1996 in Knoxville, Tennessee.

IV. Olympic Trials

A. Qualification to Participate

The top 14 finishers from the 1996 National Championships will qualify for the Olympic Trials. In the case of a tie for the 14th place, the athletes tied for the place will each qualify for the Olympic Trials. Any athlete who petitions into the Olympic Trials will be in addition to the athletes qualified through the Championships.

B. Time and Place

The Trials will be conducted on June 27-30, 1996 in Boston, Massachusetts.

C. Selection of the Olympic Team

The top seven athletes in rank order at the conclusion of the Olympic Trials will represent the United States in the 1996 Olympic Games unless removed under the provisions stated in section VI. Ties will be broken by the following:

  1. Highest unweighted all-around compulsory score from the Final Trials.
  2. Total of five best scores from the compulsory competition at the Final Trials.
  3. Total of four best scores from the compulsory competition at the Final Trials.

V. Selection of Olympic Team Coaches

The head coach will be selected at the 1995 National Championships by the USA Gymnastics Men's Program Director, reviewed by the MPC, and approved by the President of USA Gymnastics based upon the following criteria:

  • proven team leadership ability;
  • international experience; and
  • ability to communicate to the athletes and follow training plan.

Three additional coaches will also be selected by the Head Olympic Coach, reviewed by the MPC, and approved by the President of USA Gymnastics. The Olympic Team Head Coach and the three additional coaches will make up the Olympic Team Preparation Staff. The Olympic Team Preparation Staff will work with the USA Gymnastics Men's Technical Coordinator to assure the goals and training plan for the National Team are followed leading to the Olympic Trials. The final selection for the Assistant Coach for the 1996 Olympic Team will take place at the Olympic Trials by the Head Coach.

VI. Removal

An athlete or coach may be removed from the Olympic Team or from any step of the process for selecting the Team if he violates the terms of the USA Gymnastics National Team Agreement (in the case of athletes) or Olympic Team Coaches' Agreement (in the case of coaches), including the Code of Ethics incorporated in each Agreement. An athlete may also be removed from the Olympic Team in the event of injury or illness which inhibits peak performance at the Olympic Games. Verification of injury or illness will be by two neutral doctors selected by USA Gymnastics and approved by the United States Olympic Committee. Removal may only occur by action of the President of USA Gymnastics after consultation with MPC, USA Gymnastics Men's Staff and an interview with the athlete or coach. Any decision to remove an athlete or coach is subject to review through USA Gymnastics Grievance Procedures.

VII. Approval of the Consent to Comply with the Selection Procedures

These Selection Procedures have been reviewed and approved by USA Gymnastics and the United States Olympic Committee. Each athlete and coach participating in the process for selecting the Olympic Team as outlined in these Selection Procedures has carefully reviewed, understands and agrees to be bound by the terms of these Procedures. That understanding and agreement is reflected by the signature of the athlete and coach on a copy of these Selection Procedures.

---------------------------

1996 RHYTHMIC OLYMPIC TEAM SELECTION PROCEDURES

NOTE: These procedures are published in the December, 1995 issue of Technique magazine (Vol. 15, No. 10).

I. Overview

The Rhythmic Gymnastics Olympic Competition will consist of two events individual and group. The selection procedures for the two events are different.

The process for qualifying for the Rhythmic 1996 Olympic Team in the individual competition involves three steps:

  1. qualifying for the National Championships through one of two qualifying events;
  2. qualifying for the Olympic Trials by finishing among the top eight (8) gymnasts at the National Championships
  3. finishing among the top two (2) gymnasts at the Olympic Trials

The process for qualifying for the Rhythmic 1996 Olympic Team in the group competition involves four steps:

  1. being an athlete who qualified to the 1995 National Championship or a member of the 1995 National Group Team.
  2. being one of the ten-fifteen (1015) athletes selected to attend one or two training camps
  3. being one of the athletes selected to attend the extended training camp
  4. being one of the six (6) athletes selected at the conclusion of the Olympic Team Trials

II. Olympic Team Individual Selection

A. Qualification to the 1996 National Championships

  1. Each athlete must be a USA citizen, a registered athlete member with USA Gymnastics, and a minimum of 15 years of age in 1996.
  2. Qualification to the Rhythmic Gymnastics National Championships is through two qualifying events which are open to all Level 9 & 10 rhythmic gymnasts in the United States and are scheduled to take place in May, 1996.
  3. The 1995 World Championship athletes will automatically qualify into the 1996 National Championships.
  4. The Rhythmic National Championships will take place in May/June, 1996.
  5. Based on the two day All-Around results from the 1996 National Championships, the top eight (8) senior gymnasts (including any eighth place tie) will qualify into the Olympic Trials.

B. Olympic Trials

  1. The Final Trials for the 1996 Olympic Games are scheduled to take place June 25-26, 1996, in Boston, Massachusetts.
  2. Competition at the Trials will be a two-day All-Around competition, with each gymnast competing four events each day.
  3. The judging panel will consist of nine (9) USA Brevet judges. The international judging rules and regulations will be followed.

C. Team Selection

The Rhythmic Gymnastics Individual Olympic Team, two (2) athletes, will be named by rank order based upon a combined score from the two days of all-around competition.

D. Petitions

  1. Petitions to enter the Olympic Trials will be accepted for a gymnast unable to compete in the National Championships because of injury, illness, or unusual circumstances.
  2. Petitions are limited to the top four (4) nationally ranked gymnasts based upon results from the 1996 Rhythmic Challenge.
  3. All injury or illness petitions into the Olympic Trials must be certified by an identified USOC physician.
  4. Based upon the physicians report, injury and illness petitions will be accepted or denied by the Rhythmic Program Committee which includes an elected athlete representative. Petitions submitted because of unusual circumstances will be accepted or denied by Rhythmic Program Committee.
  5. An athlete accepted into the Olympic Trials by petition will be in addition to the eight athletes who qualified through the National Championships.
  6. If a qualified gymnast is not able to compete in the Olympic Trials due to injury or illness, or cannot complete the Olympic Trials because of injury or illness she may petition to be ranked in the overall Olympic Trials ranking only if she is one of the top two (2) USA nationally ranked gymnasts from the 1996 Rhythmic Challenge or one of the top two (2) USA nationally ranked gymnasts from the 1996 National Championships.

    a. The illness or injury must be verified by a neutral doctor approved by the United States Olympic Committee.

    b. An accepted petitioned gymnast unable to compete or complete the Final Trials shall have her Olympic Trials ranking score determined by using 100 percent of her final All-Around (day 2) score (times 2, to equal 8 routine scores) from the 1996 National Championships.

    c. If the All-Around score of a petitioned gymnast places her in a position for Olympic Team membership, verification of health status will be required from a USOC approved physician before gymnast is officially named to the team.

E. The 1996 Olympic Team Individual Competition will be named immediately following the Olympic Trials competition except in the case of a petition outlined in the proceeding section.

F. A one week mandatory training camp will be held for the gymnasts immediately prior to departure for the Games. Training schedule will be determined by coaches.

G. If an athlete who has been named to the Olympic Team is injured or ill prior to the Games and this injury or illness requires the athlete to withdraw from the team, the replacement will be the next ranked athlete from the Trials.

H. Athletes will be assigned to start positions at the Olympic Games according to rank order from the Trials.

I. Removal:

  1. An athlete may be removed from the Olympic Team or from any step of the process for selecting the Team if that athlete violates the terms of the USA Gymnastics' National Team Agreement (including the Code of Conduct Incorporated in that Agreement).
  2. Removal may only occur by action of the President of USA Gymnastics after consultation with the Rhythmic Program Director, and an interview with the athlete and her coach.

III. Olympic Team Group Competition

A. Qualification to the Olympic Games training camp

  1. Application for training team

    a. All athletes must be USA citizens, registered athlete members with USA Gymnastics, and a minimum of 15 years old in 1996.

    b. Application is open to all Level 9-10 level rhythmic gymnasts who qualified to the 1995 National Championships.

    c. All athletes must submit a written application.

    d. All athletes must be recommended by their personal coach.

    e. All athletes must have parent/guardian permission to participate.

    f. All 1995 Group National Team Members will automatically qualify.

  2. The Olympic head coach, in consultation with the rhythmic program director, will invite a maximum of fifteen (15) and a minimum of ten (10) girls to attend one or two group training camps, in the Fall of 1995.

B. Group Training Camp (November 18-28, 1995)

  1. During the camp all athletes will learn the skills and choreography of the Olympic Games USA group routines.
  2. Based upon talent, skill, synchronization ability, consistency, attitude, and team spirit, a maximum of eight (8) athletes will be selected by the Group Head Coach, assistant coach, and one non- participating athlete representative as the Olympic Games Group Training Team.

C. Petitions

  1. If an athlete is unable to attend the November training camp because of injury, illness, or extraordinary circumstances she may petition onto the Training Team.
  2. The petition will be reviewed and approved or rejected by the Group Head Coach, assistant coach and the athlete representative who attended the November training camp.

D. Olympic Games Training Team Camp (January 4June 22, 1996). The Olympic Games Group Training Team will move to Downers Grove, Illinois, for Olympic Games preparation.

E. If an athlete who has been named to the Olympic Group Training Team becomes injured or ill to the extent that she cannot participate fully as a member of the team, and this is documented by a USOC approved physician, the athlete will be sent home.

F. Olympic Trials (June 25-26, 1996)

  1. The Olympic Games Group Training Team will perform at the Rhythmic Olympic Trials in Boston, Massachusetts.
  2. At the trials competition the Head Coach, in consultation with the assistant coach, and one non-participating athlete representative will name the Olympic Team for Group Competition (6 athletes) and the non- competing USA Gymnastics Group athletes (2 athletes).

G. If an athlete who has been named to the Olympic Team is injured or ill prior to the Olympic Games and this injury requires the athletes to withdraw or be removed from the team, the replacement will be one of two the non-competing USA Gymnastics Group athletes.

H. Removal

  1. An athlete may be removed from the Olympic Team or from any step of the process for selecting the Team if that athlete violates the terms of the USA Gymnastics' National Team Agreement (including the Code of Conduct Incorporated in that Agreement.)
  2. Removal may only occur by action of the President of USA Gymnastics after consultation with the Group Head Coach, the Rhythmic Program Director, and an interview with the athlete.

IV. Approval/Publication

A. These procedures have been approved by the Rhythmic Program Committee.

  • Candace Feinberg, Technical Representative
  • Norma Zabka, VP, USA Gymnastics Board of Directors
  • Andrea Schmid, FIG Technical Committee
  • Lana Lashoff, Coach Representative
  • Wendy Hilliard, Athlete Representative

B. These procedures have been approved by the USA Gymnastics Executive Committee.

C. Publication

The Olympic Games Group Selection Procedures will be published in the Jan/Feb 1996 issue of USA Gymnastics magazine and distributed to all qualified athletes from the 1995 National Championships.

---------------------------

Approval

These procedures have been approved by the respective program committee (Men's Womens, or Rhythmic), the USA Gymnastics Executive Committee, and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).

---------------------------

Related pages

------------------

Men | Women | Rhythmic
Selection Procedures | Competitive Rosters
Press Room | Boston | Fact Sheet
Olympic Trials HomePage


 [ Home ]
[ Index of Events ]
[ Index of 1996 Events ]

About USA Gymnastics Online.
Please report problems to our webmaster.
Copyright © 1996 USA Gymnastics. All rights reserved.

URL: http://www.usa-gymnastics.org/events/1996/trials/selection-procedures.html