Amateur Sports Act of 1978
Encyclopedia
The Amateur Sports Act of 1978, (signed by President Jimmy Carter
), establishes a United States Olympic Committee
and provides for national governing bodies for each Olympic sport
. The Act provides important legal protection for individual athletes.
Prior to the adoption of the Act in 1978, the Amateur Athletic Union
(AAU) represented the United States on international competition matters and regulated amateur sports generally. The AAU had adopted arbitrary rules which prohibited women from participating in running events and banned any runner who had raced in the same event as a runner with a shoe-company sponsorship. Congress adopted the Act in response to criticisms of the AAU, effectively removing that organization from any governance role. The AAU now continues as a voluntary organization largely promoting youth sports; while it still has a major role in promoting track, it is now best known for sponsoring youth basketball competitions.
The Act charters the US Olympic Committee, which in turn can charter a national governing body (NGB) for each sport, such as USA Swimming
, the United States Fencing Association
, the United States Ski Team
, USA Track & Field or the United States Figure Skating Association
. Each NGB in turn establishes the rules for selecting the United States Olympic Team and promotes amateur competition in that sport.
The Act requires that active athletes (defined as amateur athletes who have represented the United States in international amateur competition within the last ten years) must hold 20 percent of the voting power of any board or committee in an NGB. The Act also provides athletes with due process and appeal rights concerning eligibility disputes.
The Act gives exclusive rights of usage of the words "Olympic" and "Olympiad" to the Olympic Committee. The Committee used this act to sue other organizations which used this term "Olympics", such as the Gay Olympics
.
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
), establishes a United States Olympic Committee
United States Olympic Committee
The United States Olympic Committee is a non-profit organization that serves as the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States and coordinates the relationship between the United States Anti-Doping Agency and the World Anti-Doping Agency and various...
and provides for national governing bodies for each Olympic sport
Olympic sports
Olympic sports, as defined by the International Olympic Committee, are all the sports contested in the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. The Summer Olympics, as of 2012, will include 26 sports, with two additionall sports due to be added in 2016...
. The Act provides important legal protection for individual athletes.
Prior to the adoption of the Act in 1978, the Amateur Athletic Union
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
(AAU) represented the United States on international competition matters and regulated amateur sports generally. The AAU had adopted arbitrary rules which prohibited women from participating in running events and banned any runner who had raced in the same event as a runner with a shoe-company sponsorship. Congress adopted the Act in response to criticisms of the AAU, effectively removing that organization from any governance role. The AAU now continues as a voluntary organization largely promoting youth sports; while it still has a major role in promoting track, it is now best known for sponsoring youth basketball competitions.
The Act charters the US Olympic Committee, which in turn can charter a national governing body (NGB) for each sport, such as USA Swimming
USA Swimming
USA Swimming is the national governing body for competitive swimming in the United States. It is charged with selecting the United States Olympic Swimming team and any other teams which officially represent the United States, as well as the overall organization and operation of the sport within the...
, the United States Fencing Association
United States Fencing Association
The United States Fencing Association is the national governing body for the sport of fencing in the United States.The USFA was founded in 1891 as the Amateur Fencers League of America by a group of New York fencers seeking independence from the Amateur Athletic Union...
, the United States Ski Team
United States Ski Team
The United States Ski Team, operated under the auspices of the United States Ski and Snowboard Association , develops and supports men's and women's athletes in the sports of alpine skiing, adaptive alpine, freestyle skiing, cross country, adaptive cross country, ski jumping, and nordic combined....
, USA Track & Field or the United States Figure Skating Association
United States Figure Skating Association
U.S. Figure Skating is the national governing body for the sport of figure skating on ice in the United States. It is recognized as such by the United States Olympic Committee "USOC" under the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act and is the United States member of the International Skating...
. Each NGB in turn establishes the rules for selecting the United States Olympic Team and promotes amateur competition in that sport.
The Act requires that active athletes (defined as amateur athletes who have represented the United States in international amateur competition within the last ten years) must hold 20 percent of the voting power of any board or committee in an NGB. The Act also provides athletes with due process and appeal rights concerning eligibility disputes.
The Act gives exclusive rights of usage of the words "Olympic" and "Olympiad" to the Olympic Committee. The Committee used this act to sue other organizations which used this term "Olympics", such as the Gay Olympics
Gay Olympics
Gay Olympics most commonly refers to the Gay Games which were originally named the Gay Olympics but were forced to choose a different name due to legal action by the International Olympic Committee....
.