As you may know the BJA has undertaken a review of the World Class Performance Programme with a view to putting in place the best possible performance structures that will ensure that we attain our medal targets at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

The British Judo World Class structure currently consists of 9 podium Athletes (+ 3 VI), 29 Development Athletes, 27 Transitional Athletes. This has created a problem in that the funding system has governed the High Performance structure, which is not specific to the needs of Judo as a sport - high quality training partners are a critical need and fundamental to underpinning the training and performance of World Class funded athletes.

We will be introducing a Great Britain Senior Squad and a Great Britain U20 Squad using the 2007 British Closed as a Trials Event to select these squads. Co-option will only be considered for legitimate cases - i.e. in 07/08 those in contention for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

From the new GB Squads we will be able to identify appropriate athletes to put forward for consideration for personal funding awards. For non-funded performance athletes a basic performance program will be put in place, to assist all Squad players with their own development and to support the World Class Programmes. The GB squads will take part in high quality randori sessions and provide an improved level of domestic preparation for our World Class athletes.

Those who make the 2008 Squad will get:

• Belgium B Tournament Men and Women (not 2008 Olympic Qualifiers)
• Access to a minimum of 3 National Squad training days– travel expenses covered
• Possible inclusion in Olympic preparation

Further notes:

• Selection for B Tournament is outlined below
• Purpose of squad training days will be clearly identified- Randori/Technical
• Potential participation in preparation camps for Major Events
• Squad members will be expected to regularly attend nominated High Quality Randori sessions.

The four Home Country tournaments and the British Open will be point scoring events for the GB Squad system- only medals win points and at least one fight must be won - only top 3 results are used.

We hope this will strengthen our domestic competition circuit, which acts as in the first instance as a preparation for ‘B’ level internationals and eventually World Class level- thus producing World Class training partners along the way

The top 4 athletes in the ranking list for 2008 would be seeded at the 2008 Senior British Closed and the top 4 athletes placed at the British Closed will secure their position on the 2009 Senior GB Squad. Again, co-options will only be considered for legitimate cases.

Points for events are as follows:

Athletes will only be considered for selection as part of the Great Britain team for B tournament events, if they are a member of the GB squad and have a record of attending Squad training. To be considered for selection to Senior World Cup events athletes must be a member of the GB Squad, have a minimum of 1 medal at B Tournament competition and a current, consistent performance at this level. Major events will continue to be selected following the revised World Class Selection Policy-Major Events, to be published December 2007. Members of the GB Squad will be expected to adhere to the latest World Class policy and Procedure document, published December 2007.

It would be hoped that this system, including using Home Country U20 competitions for a ranking system, can be replicated for the U20 squad in the 2009 cycle, with the addition that the ranking system would not only provide the seeding for the British Closed, but also the number 1 in the ranking list, would secure their position on the U20 squad, providing they compete in the British Closed. Again applications for co-options would only be considered on a case by case basis.