Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act
Encyclopedia
The Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act is a United States
law (codified at 36 U.S.C. Sec. 220501 et seq. of the United States Code
) that charters and grants monopoly status to the United States Olympic Committee
, and specifies requirements for its member national governing bodies
for individual sport
s.
The current version of the Act was sponsored by Senator Ted Stevens
the former United States Senator from Alaska
and adopted in 1998. It is a revision of the previous Amateur Sports Act of 1978
that reflects changes such as the fact that amateurism is no longer a requirement for competing in most international sports, expansion of the USOC's role to include the Paralympic Games
, increased athlete representation, and protection of the USOC against lawsuits involving athletes' right to participate in the Olympic Games
.
The United States Olympic Committee has used the law to force the 'Gay Olympics' to change their name to the Gay Games
. The organization has threatened to use the law against the 'Redneck Olympics', though it has given special dispensation to the Special Olympics
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
law (codified at 36 U.S.C. Sec. 220501 et seq. of the United States Code
United States Code
The Code of Laws of the United States of America is a compilation and codification of the general and permanent federal laws of the United States...
) that charters and grants monopoly status to the 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 specifies requirements for its member national governing bodies
Sport governing body
A sport governing body is a sports organization that has a regulatory or sanctioning function. Sport governing bodies come in various forms, and have a variety of regulatory functions. Examples of this can include disciplinary action for rule infractions and deciding on rule changes in the sport...
for individual sport
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
s.
The current version of the Act was sponsored by Senator Ted Stevens
Ted Stevens
Theodore Fulton "Ted" Stevens, Sr. was a United States Senator from Alaska, serving from December 24, 1968, until January 3, 2009, and thus the longest-serving Republican senator in history...
the former United States Senator from Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
and adopted in 1998. It is a revision of the previous Amateur Sports Act of 1978
Amateur Sports Act of 1978
The Amateur Sports Act of 1978, , establishes a United States Olympic Committee and provides for national governing bodies for each Olympic sport...
that reflects changes such as the fact that amateurism is no longer a requirement for competing in most international sports, expansion of the USOC's role to include the Paralympic Games
Paralympic Games
The Paralympic Games are a major international multi-sport event where athletes with a physical disability compete; this includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and Cerebral Palsy. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which are held immediately following their...
, increased athlete representation, and protection of the USOC against lawsuits involving athletes' right to participate in the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
.
The United States Olympic Committee has used the law to force the 'Gay Olympics' to change their name to the Gay Games
Gay Games
The Gay Games is the world's largest sporting and cultural event organized by and specifically for LGBT athletes, artists, musicians, and others. It welcomes participants of every sexual orientation and every skill level...
. The organization has threatened to use the law against the 'Redneck Olympics', though it has given special dispensation to the Special Olympics
Special Olympics
Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 3.1 million athletes in 175 countries....
.