Voice And Representation

Team USA Athletes' Commission:

The USOPC AAC serves as a source of athlete opinion and provides voice to the USOPC Board of Directors and in USOPC governance. The Team USA AC's mission is to ensure communication between the USOPC and athletes who are actively engaged in amateur athletic competition or who have represented the United States in international competition within the preceding ten years (10-year athletes). The Team USA AC and its representatives are involved in the following processes:

• The Team USA AC elects three 10-year athletes to serve on the USOPC Board of Directors and is involved in nominating and electing the at-large athlete directors.
• The Team USA AC Chair is notified when complaints are filed regarding the opportunity to participate (USOPC Bylaws Section 9).
• The Team USA AC is involved in the hiring and performance review process of the Athlete Ombuds.
• The Team USA AC consults with the USOPC to ensure that team selection criteria for Protected Competitions are fair.
• The Team USA AC can provide a supplementary report to the USOPC's Annual Report to Congress.
• The Team USA AC selects athletes to serve on various working groups, committees, task forces, etc.
• Athlete representatives attend the annual Olympic and Paralympic Assembly, and the Assembly Advisory Committee includes a designee of the Team USA AC.
• The Team USA AC has full-time staff that is hired by and reports to AAC Leadership.
• The Team USA AC tracks issues impacting Team USA athletes at the international level and works with and supports U.S. athlete representatives at the international level.
• Visit the Team USA AC webpage to learn more.

Designated Committees:

Any NGB committee that makes recommendations or decisions directly impacting its elite athletes, including at least the following (by name or by function):

• Allocation of USOPC- and/or NGB-provided resources
• Audit
• Budget/Finance
• Compensation
• Ethics
• Judicial, grievance, and any other hearing panel affecting any individual’s participation in Protected Competition
• Nominating and Governance, including Bylaws amendments
• Selection of athletes, coaches and/or staff for Protected Competition, including development, approval and implementation of selection criteria

USOPC 10 Year Athlete:

An athlete who has been selected by their NGB to represent the United States in a Delegation Event or other International Qualifying Competition within the previous 10 years.

USOPC 10 Year+ Athlete:

An athlete who has represented the United States in a Delegation Event or other International Qualifying Competition but not within the previous 10 years.

NGB 10 Year Athlete:

An athlete who qualifies as a USOPC 10 Year Athlete; or an athlete who has been selected to compete in a competition as defined by the NGB AAC and approved by the NGB Athlete Representation Working Group, within the previous 10 years.

NGB 10 Year+ Athlete:

An athlete who qualifies as a USOPC 10 Year Athlete; or an athlete who has been selected to compete in a competition as defined by the NGB AAC and approved by the NGB Athlete Representation Working Group, but not within the previous 10 years.

Actively Engaged Athlete Representative:

An athlete who either qualifies as a NGB 10-Year or 10-Year+ Athlete or who has been actively engaged in the 24 months prior to their election/selection in an NGB-sanctioned competition (as defined by the NGB AAC and approved by the NGB ARRWG), which may include events that categorize entrants in age-restricted classifications; and an Athlete Competition Partner, as defined in the IPC Accreditation Guide, who serves an athlete.

At-Large Athlete Directors:

Retired athletes who are elected by the Joint Nominating Committee (JNC) to the USOPC Board of Directors. They can be USOPC 10 Year or 10 Year+ Athletes.

U.S. Olympians and Paralympians Association (USOPA):

USOPA is the national association of Olympians and Paralympians. They facilitate local chapters and help members to stay engaged in the Olympic and Paralympic movements. Visit the USOPA webpage to learn more.

Joint Nominating Committee (JNC):

The JNC recruits, vets, and nominates eligible retired athletes for open At-Large seats on the USOPC Board of Directors. It is operated by USOPA and the Team USA AC.

Athlete Representation Review Working Group (ARRWG):

The Athlete Representation Review Working Group reviews requests for exemptions, clarifications or higher standards in relation to athlete representation requirements on NGB Boards and Committees.

USOPC Responsibilities

• Have standard election procedures codified in the bylaws to elect athlete representatives to the USOPC Board of Directors
• Have a Team USA AC
• Have athlete representation on the USOPC board of directors and committees (view this pdf of a table for additional information on this requirement)

NGB Responsibilities

• Have athlete representation policies that comply with the USOPC bylaws
• Have an NGB AAC
• Have athlete representation on NGB Boards, Designated Committees, and Other NGB Committees (view this pdf of a table for additional information on this requirement)

• USOPC Team USA Athletes' Commission (Formerly AAC)