How do athletes advance to national or World Games teams?

Under Sports Rules Article 1 (2024), section 13, athletes of all ability levels have an equal chance to advance, provided the sport and event are offered at the next level.

Who is eligible to advance

• The athlete must have competed at the previous level (e.g. Programme-level Games before World Games), in the same sport.
• Exceptions apply where no competition was available, e.g. low enrolment, no equitable competition, prohibitive cost, or the athlete trains or competes in mainstream sport.
• Athletes competing at Regional, Multi-Programme or World Games must have trained to minimum standards for at least 8 consecutive weeks (General Rules 3.05).

How places are filled when there is a quota

1. If eligible athletes don't exceed the quota, all advance.
2. Otherwise, first-place finishers from all divisions get priority. If there are more of them than places, a random draw decides.
3. If places remain, a random draw of second-place finishers fills them, then third, and so on.

The same method applies to individual sports, team sports and Unified Sports. The Programme must publish its process and criteria in advance. It can ask for permission to add criteria based on behaviour, medical or judicial grounds.