To ensure the proper oversight and governance of this designation process, Sport Wales has established the NSG. This group will be made up of representatives from Sport Wales, the Welsh Sport Association, Commonwealth Games Wales and the Welsh Government.
Applications to the group should ideally be made through the national governing body. The application process opened on Thursday 19th November.
The time between application and decision will depend on individual application and the extent of the information needed to ensure a thorough analysis of the submission.
What should be the basis for applications?
In seeking a designation, the applicant must demonstrate why it is necessary and which restrictions in the national coronavirus rules prevent the activity from occurring without the exemption that elite status designation provides.
Designations should only be sought where it is necessary to ensure:
- athletes are not competitively disadvantaged by the national coronavirus rules;
- equality of opportunity for athletes, including those who are underrepresented or disadvantaged, to compete at the highest levels within their sport;
- athletes who derive a living from sport are not financially disadvantaged by the national coronavirus rules.
Requests must provide the number of athletes for whom the designation is being sought, the type of interaction and environment in which the athletes would be training or competing, and the reasonable measures that would be applied to mitigate the risk of contracting and transmitting the coronavirus, including the relevant consultation and agreement with facility/venue providers.
There is no right to be granted the relevant designated status. It is an exercise of judgement based on existing guidance and any advice the group might seek from Welsh Government and/or Public Health Wales.
Further updates will be provided when available.
