World Championships Relay Team Selection Policy
revised July 5, 2009

USA Track & Field may enter a maximum of six (6) athletes on each relay team, which includes the men’s and women’s 4x100m and 4x400m, for the 2009 World Championships. USATF must include their 3 entrants in the 100m and 400m, as well as their alternates in these events, as part of their relay team entry. The remaining two (2) relay team members who will be selected for each relay team will be chosen according to the procedure outlined below.

Relay Pool

USATF will name 4x100m relay and 4x400m relay pools for both the men and women consisting of 6-10 athletes per relay pool in the week immediately following the U.S. Outdoor Championships. This pool will consist of the individuals selected to represent the USA in the 100m and the 400m, the alternates in the 100m and 400m, as well as other athletes who have qualified for the World Championships team roster. Athletes that participate in the USA Outdoor Championships, but who do not qualify for the team in an individual event, are eligible to be selected to the relay pool. Relay pool members will be nominated by the Men’s and Women’s Head Coaches for the World Championships, with final approval by USATF’s Chief of Sport Performance. Athletes will be notified of their selection to the relay pool by e-mail no later than July 6, 2009.

Please take careful note of the following:

•  Being selected for the relay pool does not guarantee an athlete a position on the relay team. Athletes selected for the relay pool who are not entered in an individual event and are not selected as a member of the relay team to be entered on August 3, 2009 will not travel to Berlin for the World Championships.
• An athlete must compete in the USA Outdoor Championships in order to be eligible for the relay pool, except in emergency situations where a waiver based on medical or exceptional circumstances may be given by USATF, at its discretion.
• To be eligible for the 4x100m relay pool athletes must sign a relay agreement requiring them to participate in two international relay events prior to the World Championships, except in emergency situations where a waiver based on medical or exceptional circumstances may be given by USATF, in its discretion. Request for a waiver should be submitted via email to Sandy Snow. The pre-World Championships international relay events are as follows:
1. London Gran Prix – July 24/25
2. Cottbus – August 8 - this event is a part of USATF’s training camp

Relay Team

The members of the men’s & women’s 4x100m relay teams will be announced on August 10 and athletes will be notified by email of their selection. The members of the men’s and women’s 4x400m relay team will be announced on or before August 12, 2009. The World Championships Head Coaches, in conjunction with USATF’s Chief of Sport Performance, will make the final selection.

Final entries for the World Championships, which will contain the six (6) members, each, for the men’s and women’s 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams, are due to be received by the IAAF no later than August 3rd. The six (6) athletes entered as the relay team plus any athlete on the World Championships roster is eligible to compete on the relay. The athletes selected to run in each round and the order in which they will run will be determined by the World Championships Head Coaches with final approval by USATF’s Chief of Sport Performance on August 10 and August 12 respectively. Being entered as a relay team member does not guarantee that an athlete will participate in the relay. If an athlete(s) were to become injured, have personal issues, etc. that would keep them from being able to compete on the relay team, USATF may then name any athlete who is a member of the 2009 World Championship team to replace that athlete(s).

To be eligible for the 4x100 relay team, athletes must sign the relay agreement confirming their participation in the pre World Championships relay competition(s) and training camp as indicated in the relay policy and in the 2009 World Championships Relay Agreement.

The athletes who are notified of their inclusion in the 4x400m relay pool are not required to attend training camp. They will need to arrive in Berlin in time for a practice session on August 12 at 9:00 a.m. Athletes selected for the 4x400 relay pool must sign the relay agreement indicating they will serve in the relay pool but are not required to mark any of the events.