Olympian adamant NZ selection process needs to change

A long-time coach and three-time Olympian wants the “subjective” element removed from international selections and for “favouritism” not to play a part in who is picked.

Throughout his career sailor Dan Slater missed the Olympics by the narrowest of margins but also convinced selectors to give him a second chance.

Dan Slater competing in the 2012 Olympics in the Finn.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Disuptes over selections reached record numbers across a range of sports leading up to this year’s Tokyo Olympic Games according to Sports Tribunal of New Zealand data.

Slater, who competed in the 49er at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and in the Finn at Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012, said selections decided on the water – where athletes were in control of their own destiny – left little room for complaint.

As a young sailor Slater missed out on selection for the 1996 Olympics on a countback of points following a one-off selection event.

“That was fair and square, I lost, that was fine it was done on the water and there wasn’t any selection panel,” he said.

Several years later, Slater said the process was not as clear cut.

Slater remembered his wedding day in 2012 for all the right reasons but also for a call from Yachting New Zealand that caught him off guard.

Having just competed at the world championships, a regatta that Slater understood was purely to qualify the country for the London Olympics and not a predetermined selection regatta, he was surprised to hear differently.

“I had a phone call that they were not going to select me for the Olympics because I didn’t do well enough at the worlds.

“I’d borrowed a boat, borrowed a mast, just turned up basically on no training just to do enough to qualify the country.”

Slater admitted his initial response to the caller was blunt.

Dan Slater and Nathan Handley (NZL) during the mens 49er yachting event at the Sydney Olympic Games
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

After meeting with selectors he was able to negotiate Olympic selection being decided on his performance at upcoming regattas.

Although he was chosen for the 2012 Games he said the selection process tainted the experience.

“It put a real negative twist on the remainder of my campaign. It became all about qualifying and it shouldn’t of and the whole focus of things went away from actually getting a performance at the Olympics.”

Slater had coached New Zealand and international saliors to glory in different classes of boat and with his experience thought greater independence between Olympic selectors and National Sporting Organisations [NSO] was needed.

“Once a selection policy has been set [by a NSO] it should be independent of the national body and go straight to the New Zealand Olympic Committee through those three or four selectors which are responsible for that sport or class and then you take that element of subjectiveness out it.

“In a small country like New Zealand and in a small sport you can get off-side with one or two people and your career, whether you’re a good athlete or not, is impacted.

“There is some injustice in that but that’s unfortunately how it is.”

Slater said NSOs should put together a panel of selectors for world events who were independent and “who understand the game that they’re playing and the modern era that they’re playing in.”

“Has it always been fair? Maybe not. It’s probably been a bit weighted towards the favoured athlete at the time sometimes.

“But you both go to that same event, or three or four of you go to that same event, you’ve all got the same chance you’re all on the same start line and at the end of the day it generally comes back to the athlete and their performance.

“However, the national body have their national coaches who coach the athletes and sometimes the athletes don’t have a choice in who that coach might be for that selection event.

“The national coach may have his idea of who he wants to coach at the Olympics and maybe [another] athlete isn’t getting the absolute best help they can get over that event or maybe the sailors think the national coach is off the pace but they’ve still got to do a performance with a coach that’s not up to it.”

Yachting New Zealand (YNZ) said it had “rigorous” selection policies that were “reviewed regularly” by YNZ, Olympic committee members, athletes and legal representatives.

YNZ said selectors were independent appointments and there was a separate selection committee for each class of boat.

“We make no apology for the fact we set high standards for our sailors, and that they need to attain higher levels of success than many other Olympic sports in this country.”