How Athletes Get Onto the TOPS Scheme

No athlete has ever submitted an application form to join TOPS. There is no portal, no deadline, no eligibility checklist you fill out yourself. The only entry point is a nomination from your national sports federation.

This is not a formality. It means the relationship between an elite athlete and their federation is directly relevant to whether TOPS support becomes available.

The nomination process

When the Mission Olympics Wing reviews which athletes should receive TOPS support, it works from nominations submitted by each sport’s national governing body. The federation identifies athletes in its discipline who meet the profile (current international ranking, recent competition results, development trajectory) and recommends them for Core or Development Group placement.

The Mission Olympics Wing reviews these nominations, alongside assessment by experienced coaches or sporting experts. A committee makes the final determination.

There is no fixed annual calendar for nominations. Athletes can be added mid-year if performance warrants it. After Nikhat Zareen won gold at the 2022 IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships, her nomination to TOPS followed her tournament performance, not an annual review window. The annual review is when most athletes are considered; exceptional results can trigger additions outside of it.

What the review considers

Current world ranking: For most Olympic sports, where you stand in the world rankings is the first filter. Top 16 or top 8 in the world is the general range for Core Group consideration. The threshold varies by sport and shifts across Olympic cycles.

Recent major championship results: A medal at the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games or World Championships is a significant signal. It demonstrates the ability to perform under the pressure of major competition, not just in training.

Olympic cycle timing: Whether you are two years from the next Games or six years away affects which group makes sense. TOPS is organized around Olympic cycles. Nominations are made with that timeline in mind.

Improvement trajectory: For Development Group specifically, the question is whether the athlete is improving consistently toward international podium level. Stagnation removes athletes from consideration.

National federation alignment: The federation must believe in a nomination to make one. Athletes who are not actively engaged with their national federation (competing in federation events, attending national camps, maintaining a presence in the national program) are rarely nominated because the federation has no basis to make the case for them.

How to position yourself for TOPS consideration

TOPS is not applied for. It is earned through performance that makes a nomination inevitable. The practical implications:

Register with your national federation and compete in federation-run tournaments. An athlete who wins at state or national level but operates outside the official federation pipeline is invisible to the nomination process.

Compete consistently at the national level in your age group. National championship results (sub-junior, junior, senior) are what give the federation a performance record to reference when making nominations.

Attend national training camps when invited. The coaches and administrators who run national camps are the same people who make or influence federation nominations. Being present and performing builds the relationship.

Ask your coach directly if a TOPS nomination is a realistic near-term goal. The answer differs by sport, and the federation is the only authority on what they look for when nominating in a given discipline. Understanding that specific bar is worth knowing early.

Removal from TOPS

Athletes are removed from TOPS for: sustained injury that pushes recovery beyond the Olympic cycle, consistent underperformance relative to expectations at the time of nomination or a shift in the federation’s assessment of medal potential.

Removal is not punishment. It is a redirection of limited resources. Athletes removed from TOPS often continue competing at the national level with federation support outside of the scheme.