All athletes residing in Germany (hereinafter referred to as "athletes"), who have participated in the past 36 months in a European Championship in Amateur Shooto of the World Federation or another internationally recognized federation at comparable or higher (world championships) level and were placed (podium placement place 1-3) are considered top athletes of the federation. All athletes who have been qualified for this in the past 24 months and have participated in the German Amateur Shooto Championships are considered top athletes. All finalists of the German Amateur Shooto Championships of the past two competitions are considered top athletes. All athletes who have participated at any time in the All Japan Amateur Shooto Championships in Japan are considered top athletes regardless of placement.

All athletes who hold an official fight record as a professional fighter in Mixed Martial Arts (proof exclusively via the internationally recognized databases tapology.com and/or sherdog.com), have already fought actively in the Shooto Federation as amateur or professional, are considered top athletes according to the guidelines of the federation.

Particularly talented and promising athletes can be appointed by the President of ADCC Germany to the squad on trial, but only a maximum of 1 athlete per 15 existing squad athletes. This measure of talent recognition and promotion in view of the further international competitiveness of the federation was decided and put into effect with effect from 01.03.2021.

Prerequisite for a nomination as a squad athlete is a valid active membership with ADCC Germany for the current calendar year.