The World Selection Committee (WSC) is the body that selects athletes to represent their countries at the Olympics and other major international competitions. The committee also awards prize money to the best sports performers.
The committee is comprised of five experts in their respective sports. Members can be nominated by their home country or by the international governing bodies.
They have to be highly knowledgeable and be able to handle the responsibility of a position like this.
One of the first things that they do is look at the performance and ranking of the athletes in each sport, and make sure that they have a strong history of success at world championships or other major competitions. If they do not have a record of winning medals at these events, they may be removed from the shortlist.
In some sports, the World Selection Committee may also consider the participation of top athletes in other events as a way to assess whether they are ready for the Olympic Games. For example, in basketball, a top player may not be included on the world team if they have not competed in an NBA championship.
Athletes who have not won an individual gold medal at a major international event are generally not included on the world team, even if they are ranked in the top five. The World Selection Committee has the authority to change these criteria at any time.
The committee can also add or remove athletes from the shortlist, but it can never replace an athlete who has already been selected.
While some of the members of the committee may be chosen by their own governments, most are nominated by international governing bodies. These include the International Olympic Committee, as well as other bodies such as UNESCO and FIFA.
Historically, the committee has been led by a Chair. The chair is responsible for the overall management of the Committee, including ensuring that all members have the support they need to carry out their duties.
He or she is also expected to have a good working relationship with the President of the International Olympic Committee.
Another role that he or she plays is providing feedback to the International Olympic Committee on the qualifications of athletes. This can be done in person or by telephone.
In addition, he or she is required to prepare and provide an evaluation report of each team to the Apex Council on a quarterly basis. He or she is also expected to appoint captains for each of the three formats in which the team will play – Test, ODI and T20.
The selection process is often subject to political influence. In Sri Lanka, for example, a number of senior members have recently been put out to pasture.
As a result, the country is on the verge of a shake-up in its selection committees. The NSSC, headed by its chief Pramodya Wickramasinghe, is likely to be the first name on the chopping block.