Introduction
It is important that all sports, their athletes and coaches understand the Sports Institute for Northern Ireland (SINI) investment focus. SINI operates to standards that govern its use of resources.
These standards have been refined following the first phase of the operation of SINI – 2005-2009. The standards will govern investment in all athletes and coaches.
The standards reinforce the professionalism of those working in SINI and their expectations of athletes and coaches. Above all, the standards emphasise that SINI’s investment in athletes and coaches is a privilege and not an entitlement; and that review of investment is continuous to ensure effective use of resources in line with SINI strategic objectives.
The Standards
Standard One
The SINI performance mandate is success at the highest level of sport
SINI’s role is to maximise the impact of public funding on excellence in sports through strategic investment, targeted actions and interventions.
Implications
• SINI will only invest in sports whose athletes and coaches can demonstrate they are striving for excellence at the highest level of their sport including Olympic, Paralympic, and Commonwealth Games, World and European championships.
• SINI will only invest in those athletes who can demonstrate they have the potential to ‘graduate to’ and benefit from the podium programme operating as part of a UK high performance system or as part of a developing performance system on the island of Ireland.
Standard Two
SINI will normally only invest public funding in athletes and coaches who are members of UK, Irish or NI organisations recognised by both:
(a) An International Federation; and,
(b) Sport Northern Ireland
An international federation recognised governing body provides the essential access to competition at the highest level.
Implications
• SINI is acutely aware that political and sporting jurisdictions provide a complex context in which to pursue its mandate. Athlete representation at the highest levels of competition is subject to the application and interpretation of rules of International Federations governing this representation. SINI will only work with sports whose athletes and coaches can demonstrate they are operating within the rules of International Federations.
• SINI will take into account the governance capability of the athlete’s SNI recognised governing body and/or branch of a governing body.
• SINI will only work with those governing bodies and/or their branches that demonstrate transparency in their decision making on athlete and coach selection.
Standard Three
SINI investment is a privilege and not a right
SINI targets its investment on athletes who are achieving success at the highest level or who are demonstrating they are striving for excellence at the highest level.
Implications
• SINI will align its investment in those athletes who can deliver success.
• Investment in athletes will be subject to continuous review.
Standard Four
SINI invests in athletes based on their current performances and potential for future success at the highest level of their sport.
Implications
• Athletes gain ‘membership’ of (places) within SINI based on their performance profile and potential to strive for excellence at the highest level within their sport and not on submitted plans for what they aim to achieve.
• Athletes and their coaches will need to demonstrate their commitment to a high performance lifestyle optimising athletic performance.
Standard Five
SINI will adopt an equitable approach to its investment of resources in athletes.
Implications
• SINI will exercise its discretion in concentrating resources on athletes who are clearly demonstrating they can achieve the highest levels of performance in their sport.
• Investment in athletes will be subject to continuous review
Standard Six
SINI will invest in the professional development of its staff ensuring they can continue to provide services to athletes striving for excellence.
SINI personnel have strategic and operational roles to play in the development of a performance legacy following the 2012 London Olympic Games; a legacy that sees established a performance system operating to leading practices routinely available in other countries.
Implications
• For athletes to reach the highest levels within their sports requires support personnel able to know what good looks like and apply it in practice. SINI will develop its talent in much the same way that it supports the development of talented athletes striving for excellence.
