Access to information
Team USA athletes have rights and protections related to access to information.
National Governing Bodies, the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, and the U.S. Center for SafeSport are required to make certain information – including details related to governance, finance, selection, and athlete safety – publicly available and notify constituents in a timely manner. These requirements are included in the Ted Stevens Olympic & Amateur Sports Act and the USOPC Bylaws, empowering athletes with visibility and knowledge about the administrative functions of organizations in the Movement.
Team USA athletes have rights and protections related to:
- Access to certain information that the USOPC, NGBs and the U.S. Center for SafeSport must make publicly available and be notified in a timely manner
More Information#
This information is intended to simplify and support Team USA athlete education around a complex system of rights and responsibilities within the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movements. Learn more about your rights as a Team USA athlete by referring to the applicable laws or governance documents.
990s: 990 is a type of tax return for a nonprofit that is required to be submitted annually to the Internal Revenue Service. These forms provide transparency about a nonprofit and lists important information including its governing body, resources, staffing, and purpose.
USOPC Bylaws Sections 9, 10 and 11: These sections refer to specific grievance and administrative processes included in the USOPC Bylaws; visit the USOPC Dispute Resolution webpage to learn more.
USOPC Responsibilities
Bylaw Amendments:
- Provide public notice of any proposed amendments and include the time and place at which adoption of the amendment is to be decided.
- Allow a 60-day public comment period after publication of notice of the proposed amendment and before adoption.
Board of Directors::
Meeting minutes:
- Publish agendas and approved meeting minutes of all regular and special board meetings on its website.
Independent director elections:
- Disseminate written director criteria and solicit candidates from the public.
- Make public the qualifications, skills and experiences if the USOPC board elects a candidate(s) recommended by the Nominating and Governance Committee.
Certification of a new organization as an NGB:
- Hold at least two public hearings prior to certifying a new organization as an NGB.
- Publish a public notice of the time, place, and nature of the hearing to certify a new NGB.
- Make publicly available NGB re-certification review summary reports, a list of certified NGBs, and the limited exceptions to the NGB certification standards if an NGB is granted an exception.
Sport organization seeks to replace an incumbent NGB (USOPC Bylaws Section 11):
- Publish notice of the time and place of a hearing.
- Conduct a formal hearing open to the public within 180 days after receiving an application to determine the merits of the application.
- Decisions from Section 9, 10 & 11 complaints: Publish hearing panel decisions and arbitration awards. (See Grievance & Dispute Resolution).
Annual reports, audits, and athlete survey: Publish annual reports, financial audit reports and the results of each annual survey of amateur athletes available on its website.
Office of Athlete Ombuds: The Athlete Ombuds must publish in the Federal Register a confidentiality and privacy policy for the Athlete Ombuds.
NGB Responsibilities
Policies and rules: NGBs must keep athletes informed of policy matters and disseminate NGB information on applicable sport rules, and changes to such rules in a timely manner.
Governance documents: NGBs must post on their website their governance documents, their 990s and audited financial statements for the three most recent years.
Athlete Ombuds Confidentiality and Privacy Policy: NGBs must publish the Athlete Ombuds Confidentiality and Privacy Policy on their website.
U.S. Center for SafeSport Responsibilities
Sanctioned Individuals: The Center must maintain a publicly accessible list of individuals barred (See also Grievance & Dispute Resolution). The Center maintains a “Centralized Disciplinary Database” that keeps “the public informed when individuals connected with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Movements are either subject to certain temporary restrictions pending investigation by the Center or are subject to certain sanctions after an investigation found them in violation of the SafeSport Code”. Refer to the Center’s website for the most up to date information.
Annual Reports: The Center must make annual reports submitted to Congress publicly available.