3-6 Eligibility conditions for sports leave

The following is a list of the eligibility conditions that must be met for additional relief teacher funding for sports leave to be approved.

Additional relief teacher funding will not be available for any event that is excluded under the exclusions for sports and cultural leave section of this chapter even if the event meets these eligibility conditions.

Eligible sports

The sport must be a current accredited sport for competition in the Olympic or Commonwealth Games. The list of current accredited sports for competition in the Olympic and Commonwealth Games are determined by the IOC and Commonwealth Games Federation respectively.

You can view the lists of current competition sports at:

Other sports

Additional relief teacher funding is not available for any other sport lists, or other IOC and Commonwealth Games Federation Recognised Sport lists. Boards should check these sports lists, or check with the Resourcing Division, to confirm that the sport is eligible for additional relief teacher funding prior to making application.

National body

The sport must be formally constituted and recognised by a national organising body that conducts regular tournaments in the sport.

Representing New Zealand

The teacher must be a participant competing in an international event where their participation as an individual or team member is representative of ‘New Zealand’ on a national level. No additional relief teacher funding is available for a teacher representing a country other than New Zealand.

This condition excludes all events where the teacher is participating as an individual or a member of a team which is representative of a city, area, region, or island (North or South) of New Zealand.

What is a participant?

A participant is a competitor or recognised accredited official. Recognised accredited officials are coaches, managers, necessary escorts for youth teams, umpires, referees and interpreters. Selectors, touch judges, assistant referees, timekeepers, other escorts and non-coaching analysts are not included.

International level competition

The teacher must be a participant competing at an international event. No additional relief teacher funding is available for events that take place in New Zealand unless it is an international event.

Additional relief teacher funding for sports leave is provided for the actual days of international level competition during any tour. In some cases this will not be the same number of days of the actual tour, or the same number of days that the teacher has applied to the board for leave.

Open competition

The competition must be open to all age groups. Events that are selected, competed or awarded solely in age restricted categories or limited to a specific age group only, are not eligible for additional funding, unless it can be clearly established by the national body that the selection process and the event is ‘open to all age groups’ despite being run in age grouped heats.

The only exception being nationally selected school, or school aged youth teams, where the accompanying teacher is an accredited recognised official, and the event meets all other criteria.

National selection

Selection must be on a national basis, normally by means of ‘open’ national competition, not by invitation or appointment.

This condition excludes all events where the selection has been limited to a city, area, region, or island (North or South) of New Zealand.



Content last updated: 21 May 2012